What is the true resale value "hit" of pet-free versus not??

[laj]

need to ask prior to wasting time looking at it.

[Steady_Rest]

I have been in some used rvs where the smell of a wet dog or a Soviet Russian meat market would have been preferable.

Kevin

[road dogs]

We have three tidy, well trained Papillons and one of the reasons for having a 5th wheel is so we can travel with them, they are family. I think most of the people we know or have met while traveling also have pets; I guess us pet owners tend to gravitate toward each other.... I do understand the concern, however. I have known people who are highly allergic to pet dander which can trigger asthma attacks or develop into pneumonia. If we were to sell our RV I would be totally honest about our pets, there are plenty of pet lovers who wouldn't be concerned about pets having shared our RV.

[Mr_D]

The true value of anything is what the buyer and seller agree on. If both are satisified then you have the true value.

[Just For Fun]

Simply spit-shine the interior before you offer it for sale. Have a carpet and upholstery company come in and do what they do best.

I've seen worse looking rigs where the owner had to pets. But the owners where obviously PIGS!!!!

[Wryly Blithe]

It's not necessarily just about the smell of either pets or smoke; it's about allergies.

We walked into two rigs that were immaculate inside. Within minutes my wife was sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes, runny nose... the whole 9 yards.

After the first one we learned to ask before going to see any more. The second one just flat out lied to us because they thought they had "cleaned" it so well we wouldn't notice.

Oddly enough, the rig we're buying also had pets in it... two dogs... but of a breed / variety that doesn't aggravate allergies. Zero smell, zero damage, and DW has so far spent a few hours inside without so much as a sniffle - it didn't hurt that the previous owners had replaced all of the living area carpet with tile, and brand new carpet in the bedroom.

For allergy sufferers, it goes way beyond smell

[Durango382]

Dealers often get a kick out of all the rigs that have had no smoking or pets in them when it comes time to trade them in - odd when so many travel with pets, yet so few have had pets when it comes time to sell.
I couldn't agree more with those who say you bought it to use it, and if your cats are part of the family then take 'em with you. Sure, those who are allergic to pets can tell often even after a good cleaning, but the real test comes from your pets when they first go into that new-to-you rig that supposedly had no pets, or was professionally cleaned...they'll smell things you never can, and just may mark over the smells.
That being said, I've traded in a LOT of my RV's, and sold a few, and no one has ever asked if I had pets in them or smoked in them - because they were immaculate when anyone went in them. (the sticker on the doors telling people to remove their shoes before entering clued people in that I take good care of them - and BTW, the dog's paws get wiped with Paw Wipes before he's allowed to settle in, and I have denim covers I put on the couches so he won't soil the leather with the oil in his skin)

[USMCRET]

My advice is take your kitties regardless of what the consensus is here. It's your rig and you have a right to enjoy it any damned way you want to. Life's too short.

[mc4fun]

We travel with our 4 dogs, we love them just like some of you love your kids.
As for the OP's- as long as the unit looks good, there is no damage, then there is no loss in resale value.
For folks with medical reasons to ask these questions, a pet coach will not be a consideration at all as you are hard pressed to find a dealer that will take the necessary steps to remove all pet dander!

If you have an RV and you have Pets, take them, you will both enjoy the trips!!!!!

[Crasher]

We have a cat and dog that travel with us. Over the last sixteen years, we have purchased four new coaches. In each case we traded in a motorhome that our cat and dog had traveled in. There was never a question about the pets. There was no sign of an animal being in either one of them. If you find a dealer that refuses to take your trade due to pets, find a different dealer. If this is a concern, then you have to ask yourself whether you bought the coach for your"whole family" to enjoy or did you buy it to trade in the future?

[BeachDude]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

It's not necessarily just about the smell of either pets or smoke; it's about allergies....

I absolutely agree! I started down the RV path in 2004 considering purchasing a used PopUp. They all mentioned pet and smoke free. However, I'm allergic to cats. Occasionally, they even looked and smelled beautiful!

But, within minutes of stepping into a used trailer/RV/motorhome I can tell if cats have been inside, or if the owners are cat people, (gotta love the feeling of sand/glass in your eyes). Dander travels with the owners, not just on the cats.

Needless to say, all my RV purchases since then have been new, instead of used. Not just because of allergies, but I enjoy being the first to use it.

[edsperfect]

We have a Maltese which does not shed so it does not effect those with allergies. Now my daughter has one that does so she can not bring the dog because my sons boy has allergies to dogs except those like maltese, poodle.

BUT that said some people are total slobs. I had a friend that owned a nice house in fla and he let an agent rent it to a family "with no pets". Well he had totear up and remove all the carpets, undercarpets, coat the flooring with some substance because their no pets peed and craped all over the house

[edsperfect]

Just a hint on this for you. They have these small steamers used mostly to steam out wrinkles in clothing. They do a wonderful job if you steam the walls, ceilings, furniture well and at the same time follow with a shop vac to suck out the water with the dirt and smell. we did that with an old RV and it came out looking like new

[Wryly Blithe]

In my previous post, I mentioned the problems smoke and pets can cause for allergy sufferers. In no way did I mean to suggest that anyone not take their pets - or even smoke in your rig if you so choose - or that there should be a reduction in the trade-in value because of either. I was simply making a point that it wasn't just about smell.

I wholeheartedly encourage people to enjoy their rigs as they choose - pets, smoking, Breaking Bad... whatever As someone has already pointed out: Life's too short to worry about the little things.