In the last decade, there has been a huge rise on the trend of owning pets in Lebanon and especially in Beirut. On top of the list of pets are dogs, followed by cats. How did that affect the real estate market?
Talking to Zeina, JSK Real Estate agent in Achrafieh, she clarified that this is now of the questions that she regularly asks both renters and tenants as part of her day-to-day job. “You see, it is important to understand if the tenant has a dog or a cat and whether they are looking for any kind of outdoor space be it a balcony or a terrace. It is important as well to get the approval of owners as you may face a renter who is not inclined to rent his apartment to a family including a pet. We want to know this prior to the deal signature obviously when such info may jeopardize the deal at last minute.” Explains Zeina. “while it is more and more acceptable now to expect a family with pet, the tick of whether or not a pet will be living in the apartment is a key question nowadays”. This may not play a major role in the buy/sell market as majority of buildings do not have a clause related to pets in their internal regulations and hence real estate agents do not tend to ask this question when servicing a buyer or a seller.
If you own a dog and you are looking to rent, it may be advisable to announce that info to your real estate agent early in the discussion rather than lateJ
