Montana Pet-Friendly Communities: Take Note, Developers! 

Take note, Missoula developers! In a recent survey of home buyer preferences in Missoula, more respondents requested a dog park than were looking for a playground. This doesn’t come as a surprise as 50% of US households have a pet vs 27% of households with a child under the age of 18. Montana is primed for more pet-friendly communities.

With some landlords restricting pet ownership, the desire for a pet can be a driving force to buy a home. In fact, a 2017 survey by Suntrust Bank indicated 33% of millennial homebuyers said their dog was the prime driver of their homeownership decision. That outranked marriage (25%) and children (19%).

In denser communities, off-leash dog areas, HOAs that allow pets, and pet-friendly finishes are ways to capture this market. As an example, consider manufactured wood floors. For condominiums, a dog wash station is a popular amenity.

But in more traditional single-family homes with a yard, options to include a fence would be a thoughtful upgrade. And one of the next-level upgrades we’ve seen for a pet owner? A gated “wash up” station between the laundry room and garage allows the owner to clean up muddy paws and provide a place for the dog to dry up before being unleashed on the house.

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