by John Bradford

The term “pet-friendly” is often used as a marketing chip in the rental-housing world, but simply allowing pets at a property no longer qualifies as being genuinely pet-friendly.

That’s because many restrictions often accompany an apartment community’s pet policies, such as a breed, weight, number of pets and even age, as some deny puppies and kittens. So if you’re a prospective resident and the community you’re considering as your next place to live allows some pets—but not yours—it doesn’t come across as exceedingly pet-friendly.

Communities with rigid policies are not only falling behind from the standpoint of appearing attractive to pet-owning residents, but also leaving an abundance of potential revenue on the table. Data supports the ideas that shedding restrictions might not be as off-putting to residents or difficult to implement as one might initially surmise, and that increasing pet-related amenities might not be a bank-breaker.

Read John Bradford’s article in the Rental Housing Journal.