For many of us with furry family members, your next home purchase might be just as much about finding what works for them as it does for you. According to a survey by Realtor.com, 95% of pet owners said the needs of their pet were important when selecting the right home to buy. When you love your pets and want the best for them, there are many aspects you may want to consider when it comes to your next home purchase. This can be especially true if you’re moving them to a new state and different environment than they are used to. Here are five things you may want to consider when it comes to moving to Florida with your furry friend.
Home Style
The type of home you purchase can have a very big impact on your pet. For example, Paul and I have an eleven-year-old greyhound who was paralyzed at age five. While the work and dedication of amazing veterinarians has helped him regain his ability to walk, he has always been a little gimpy. Add to this the fact that he is now much older. We knew a single story home with no stairs would be the best scenario for him as well as any aging dogs we may have in the future. What’s great about Florida compared to our home state of West Virginia is that single story homes are much more plentiful.
Flooring is another aspect of the home that can have a major impact on your pet’s overall wellbeing. Shiny and slick tile floors may look pretty, but can create traction issues for pets. In addition to this, you may want to consider flooring that holds up to the wear and tear of owning an animal. Luckily, flooring is something that can be changed even if the home you purchase doesn’t initially have what you need. But it’s certainly something to keep in mind if you were hoping for something immediately ready to meet all your needs. We have found our dogs love the floor in our carpeted bedrooms which is something we didn’t have up north.
Outdoor Space
If you’re a dog owner like us, the lot size and yard space is probably also very important. It’s fairly common in Florida to have homes that are very close to each other and yards taken over by swimming pools. While the idea of a pool is a nice one, we realized in many cases a pool in homes in our price range meant no yard for the dogs. We ended up finding home with a beautiful yard space and our dogs love running around and laying outside in the sun. You may also want to consider your surroundings outdoors. I didn’t really want to be too close to ponds and other water sources that could harbor alligators. For small dog owners especially, it may be important to you to consider the wildlife around where you live and how it can impact your pet’s safety.
Community Amenities
You may also want to consider the community and what it offers for your pets. Is there a dog park? Are there trails or walking paths? If not, are there safe walkable areas with sidewalks? While we don’t personally feel like a dog park is a necessity to our dog’s enjoyment, we do value having a safe walkable community. We like to take them for regular walks and know we are not putting them in danger when we do. If you value a dog park or other amenities, it might be important for you to look for developments and communities that have them.
Local Veterinary and Boarding Options
Finding good local veterinary and boarding options is also a key part of how you choose where to move. You may have a pet with a specific condition or breed-specific needs. It’s important to find knowledgeable medical care for your loved one. If you are like us and travel a decent amount, a trustworthy boarding facility is also vital. This is especially true for a piece of mind when you are away. When deciding where to live, find out what accessibility will be like for medical care and boarding for your animal.
HOA Rules
This last one can not be overlooked. The rules of the Homeowners Association can have a huge impact on where you move with your pet. Some HOAs prohibit certain breeds. The first development we were buying into limited pets to two per household. We did end up changing developments due to delays in the home building process. Instead, we landed in a community with a limit of three pets.
Your HOA could also prevent you from building a fence. They can also specify exactly what type and size fence you can have. We knew when looking at communities a fenced in yard for our dogs was a top priority. One of the requirements when we adopted our galgo from a rescue in Spain was to always have a six foot privacy fence. We wanted to keep that promise to the rescue. Plus, we knew it was safest for our dogs. It was necessary to carefully read the HOA rules and ensure we could build a six foot privacy fence for our yard. If an HOA exist, be sure to read the rules to consider if it’s a good fit for your pets.
Join the Conversation
I’m interest to hear your thoughts on home buying in Florida with pets. To take part in the conversations on all things related to Moving to Orlando, residing in Florida, and living near theme parks, join our Moving to Orlando Facebook group. Stay tuned to MovingtoOrlando.com to stay up to date on what’s going on in Central Florida.
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