Looking for pet-friendly houses
A survey reveals the trends among pet parents searching for a new home and identifies the most pet-friendly cities in the US.
American tech real-estate marketplace Zillow commissioned an online survey to better understand the housing trends among pet-owning home buyers. The study concluded that the number of house buyers with one pet has increased from 64% in 2020 to 73% in 2023.
According to Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trends Report, about 55% of respondents would choose a pet-friendly home over a child-friendly one (45%).
Additionally, 3 in 5 Gen Z adults consider pet-friendly features essential when buying a home, and 22% would be up to relocate if the current house wasn’t suitable for pets.
When purchasing a home, nearly half (48%) would prefer a fenced backyard to a double sink, a children’s playroom, or an outdoor play set.
“As this younger generation ages into their home-buying years, it follows that their pets will have a greater influence on their moving decisions, perhaps more so than their significant other,” said Zillow’s Amanda Pendleton.
The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll market research firm and included 2,066 US adults, 306 of them Gen Z (aged 18-26).
Pet-friendly states
According to Zillow, pet-friendly filters are one of the top-used sorting tools on their platform.
Texas, with over 4 in every 5 listings allowing pets, is one of the states with more pet-friendly
cities in the US. Austin claims the top spot with 80.8%, followed by Dallas (78%) and Forth Worth (77.2%).
Charlotte (North Carolina) is next at 76.6%, and Denver (Colorado) at 76.5%.
Other pet-friendly cities include San Antonio in Texas (75.8%), Indianapolis in Indiana (74.7%), Kansas City in Missouri (73.4%), Seattle in Washington (73.1%), and New York City (72.2%).