Any Jackson Hole homeowner who lives with a pet (there’s not many of us….right) knows that when you share your house with one of these beloved creatures, you give up the word “spotless” as a way to describe your home…forever. Here are some tips to keep your house as clean and fresh-smelling as possible despite your pet’s, let’s just say, “untidiness”.

• Pet hair has an aroma. Usually, it’s not a good one. Vacuum regularly, even if the pet hair in question matches your furniture and you cannot see it. I promise you, your guests can smell it. Dyson makes a vacuum especially for picking up animal hair.
• This is obvious, but a regularly bathed pet makes for a clean house. Think of how happy they are when it’s all over! Keeping pet’s nails trimmed also cuts down on scratched floors and fabrics.
• Look into Crypton. It’s a stain-resistant fabric that includes suedes and twills. As always, leather and Ultrasuede are great choices for pet owners.
• If you can, nix the wall-to-wall carpeting. It absorbs odors, traps pet hair and soaks up stains. 
• Stick to rubber toys if you have a mad chewer. Pig’s ears and rawhide bones are not only terrible for your pet’s health, but if they make it inside your home, they will stain your floor and furniture.  

To learn about more interesting things for your home with pets go to www.everydaystudio.com  and www.animalhousestyle.com.

Every home needs maintenance repairs over time, but if you are putting your Jackson Hole house on the market you may want to know the top four places to put your money so that you will get the biggest return out of it. According to a survey done by HomeGain, in order to get the highest return on your investment, spend your repair dollars on the following in this order:

1. Cleaning and de-cluttering
2. Lightening and brightening
3. Home staging
4. Landscaping

Obviously the monetary returns may vary slightly based on where you live in the country, due to the cost of a repair and the importance of each particular improvement to buyers in that area. HomeGain estimates that making the above repairs and spending between $5,000 and $8,000 on them, you may see a price increase in the West as high as $22,762, in the East as high as $23,532, in the South as high as $21,740 and in the Mid-West as high as $20,279.

Other things never to overlook when putting your house on the market are dirty windows, electrical repairs, plumbing problems, old carpeting, old paint and damaged floors.

To learn more about home improvements go to HomeGain.

If you have interest in learning more about the Jackson Hole Real Estate market please feel free to call us at 307-739-8056 or visit our website JacksonHoleExperts. We also can recommend home staging at Home Again Furnishings at 307-739-2232. Lighting advise and excellent inventory at Jackson Moore Lighting – ask for Andy Romo! For a cleaning suggestion we recommend Antonio at ABF Professional Cleaning Services at 307-734-2748. For landscaping (you may have to wait a few more months but it is ever to early to schedule a landscaper) we recommend calling Ben Bartlett, Growin Green, at 307-690-5288.