How to Shop For a Pet-Friendly Home

While millennials are often thought of as a generation of renters, many are looking to own their own home — and their furry friends are part of the reason why. According to surveys, 87% of first-time homebuyers are millennials, and 4 in 5 of this group would pass up an otherwise perfect place if it didn’t meet their pet’s needs.

“My husband and I have moved several times in the past few years, and finding a place that will accommodate our pets has always been the first priority,” says 28-year-old Gabi Vannini, a manager at the SPCA of Texas. “We want to make sure they’re comfortable and have what they need to live a happy and enriching life.”

If you’re looking for a new place and don’t want to be in the doghouse with your four-legged friend, consider homes with pet-friendly amenities like a large yard, garage and proximity to outdoor spaces. 

Beyond your own four walls and yard, be sure to look into public attractions too. Many towns and neighborhoods have extensive dog-friendly green spaces, and some even have dedicated dog parks. This includes Meritage communities across the country, like the Meritage Brickyard community in Cary, North Carolina, and the Meritage MorningStar community near Austin, Texas in Georgetown. 

“More and more, we are finding that building new neighborhoods and communities for families means incorporating our four-legged, furry friends in the development plans,” says Elliot Jones, vice president of land acquisition for Meritage Homes® Austin. “The planning principles used to develop our larger communities rely on the promotion of accessible communal amenities that promote an active lifestyle for people and their pets. The vision is for residents to get back to the great outdoors and enjoy these spaces with kids and pets alike.”

In other words, finding a community that embraces man’s best friend might help your family meet their new human best friends too.