Why Landlords Should Be Catering to Pet Owners

Pet amenities are starting to become a necessity at apartment communities. TruAmerica Multifamily says 86% of its prospective renters ask about pet amenities when viewing apartment buildings. As a result, the owner has started catering to pet owners and has created an array of amenities for pets. These amenities include everything from dog treats and waste stations to pet parks with enclosed fencing or dog-friendly bakeries.

“We look for opportunities to create pet parks that foster an environment where pets and their owners can interact and enjoy the space,” Lynn Owen, COO of TruAmerica Multifamily, tells GlobeSt.com. “We have tracked the number of prospective renters who come into our properties asking if we take pets and the percentage of prospects who ask is a staggering 86%.  It is a necessity to accept pets and make them feel a part of the community.”

Recently, TruAmerica implemented pet-friendly amenities at its Sunterra property in Oceanside. “We reclaimed unused space at the edge of the property that sits on a bluff overlooking the surrounding community and Pacific Ocean and built a pet park,” says Owen. “Some of the key components of our pet park designs include seating for pet owners, fully enclosed fencing so dogs can safely be let off of the leash, fresh water sources where available, artificial turf to maintain a clean and cool surface and assure that no toxic weed killers or fertilizers will be applied.”

TruAmerica has also forged partnerships with local pet shops, like Pecto, to host sponsored events on the property. “They have invited that vendor to the property’s monthly ‘Yappy Hour’ to which Petco has offered to sponsor some of those events by providing healthy snacks for the canine residents,” explains Owen. “We are now bringing in cats dogs available for adoption. We have been able to place three dogs and one cat into homes at the property with this partnership since starting the Yappy Hour last fall.” The adoption program is expanding nationwide. At the end of the year, the firm is launching the Canine Club to place pets into safe homes.

The pet-friendly amenities have a strong impact on the company’s leasing activity. “We try to be creative in fun ways to welcome our furry residents and their owners to our apartment communities and it pays off in big ways,” says Owen. “Closing ratios are higher than the normal apartment ratio where there are no pet amenities and dollar for dollar, rents tend to be higher as well.  People love their pets; they are part of their family so are willing to pay more for amenities that cater to them.”

As people live in urban areas and for longer, pet ownership is only going to grow, and these amenities are vital to pet owners. Owen says that this is a growing trend. “We see indoor pet walking stations popping up on the east coast like doggie tread mills situated next to people treadmills,” she explains. “We see pet swimming pools or water parks within the dog parks being constructed.  These new amenities popping up are not inexpensive to build but they draw residents who want to spoil their pets and who are willing to pay the additional rent for the pleasure of doing so.”