• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

NewHomeSource

  • Learn
  • Categories
    • Discover
    • Plan
    • Buy
    • Design
    • Build
    • Live
    • Condos & Townhomes
    • Smart Homes & Technology
  • Custom Homes
  • Manufactured Homes
  • 55 Plus
  • First Time Buyers
  • Contact Us
  • Learn
  • Categories
    • Discover
    • Plan
    • Buy
    • Design
    • Build
    • Live
    • Condos & Townhomes
    • Smart Homes & Technology
  • Custom Homes
  • Manufactured Homes
  • 55 Plus
  • First Time Buyers
  • Contact Us
Home » Discover » Pet Amenities Now More Popular in Urban Communities

Pet Amenities Now More Popular in Urban Communities

November 21, 2019 //  by Michele Lerner Leave a Comment

Luxury condos and town homes are going to the dogs and cats

Dog park in the Basil Run townhome
A fun dog park in Basil Run

From “Yappy Hours” to “Bark Parks” and “Doggie Spas,” the most important family member is pampered to the max in luxury urban condos. Condo developers have caught on to the importance of pets to buyers and are finding new ways to lure pet-owners to their buildings.

Eighty percent of homebuyers own a pet, according to Realtor.com’s survey earlier this year, 87 percent of whom considered their pets’ needs when shopping for a home. While a large yard is a priority for many pet owners, city dwellers love their pets, too, and look for ways to keep their pets happy and healthy in a high-rise.

“Ten or 15 years ago, lots of buildings wouldn’t accept dogs,” says Clint Mann, president of Urban Pace, an advisor to developers and sales and marketing firm for new construction based in Washington, D.C. “Even if you could find a building that was pet-friendly, there were often restrictions on the number of pets you could have, the weight of the animal and the breed.”

Over the past few years, a complete flip has occurred, says Mann, and it’s rare to find a new building that doesn’t accept pets.

“You see pets allowed now in hotels, offices, planes and trains, so creating a pet-friendly environment in a rental or condo building is just part of this cultural shift,” says Mann.

Millennials are more likely to own pets than any other demographic, according to Realtor.com, and they’re also the most likely to prioritize their pets more than any other group.

Pet Pampering Services

Upscale condo buildings in Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. go beyond just “accepting” pets: they encourage them.

“At Fifty-Third and Eighth, a luxury condo in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, we have a ‘Pup Park’ that only residents can use,” says Carolyn Sebba, senior vice president of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing in New York City. “It’s a lovely private outdoor space, which is rare to find in Manhattan.”

The “Pup Park” is a 1,200-square-foot offshoot from a garden for residents and includes a mural, landscaping and a magnolia tree. A hose in the park can be used to rinse off dogs before taking them indoors. Sebba says about 25 percent of the condo owners have pets.

“It’s nice for dog owners to have a place to walk their dogs right outside their building, especially in the winter or when it’s hot in the summer,” she says.

A fun pet park in new townhomes
A fun pet playground in WC Metro

At 1000 S. Michigan in Chicago, the developers are planning a residents-only dog park, a dog spa and a separate elevator for people with dogs, says Ben Creamer, co-founder and managing broker of Downtown Realty Co. in Chicago.

“It’s standard in many buildings to have a dog run alongside a building or at least to locate a high-rise adjacent to a park where people can walk their dogs,” says Creamer. “Sometimes they’re even indoors. Especially in Chicago, it’s good to have a nearby place to take your pet.”

Most buildings that offer a dog washing station supply the equipment and a space so that pet owners don’t have to wash their dogs in their units, says Creamer.

“Some buildings will have a third party provide dog spa treatments that residents can schedule,” he says.

Dog washing spaces used to be in the back alley behind a building, says Mann, but now it’s more common to see them decorated with murals and located off the lobby where residents can see pets as they come and go.

In one large New York City condo, a “doggie day care” is available exclusively for residents.

“You need a really large development to do this, but they have a pet spa, a full-time dog walker and residents can drop their dogs while they’re at work and let them play with other dogs they know from the building,” says Mann.

Some buildings have a conveniently located doggie day care on the ground floor that serves residents as well as the public, says Creamer.

Pet-sitting or dog-walking are among the services that a concierge can organize.

“In one of the rental buildings we work with, homeowners with cats can arrange to have their cats fed while they’re out of town,” says Creamer.

An amenity in many buildings that pet owners appreciate is electronic doors.

“People like it that they can give the code to a dog walker or pet-sitter,” says Mann.

Pet-centric Social Life

Pets bring their owners together, says Sebba.

“There are definitely social benefits for neighbors to meet up with other dog owners,” she says.

Many larger developments have frequent “Yappy Hours” where residents can bring their dogs and socialize with their neighbors, says Creamer.

“Lots of buildings have a ‘Pet of the Month’ photo by the front desk so residents can get to know and recognize each other’s pets,” says Mann. “Sometimes buildings will organize holiday-themed photo shoots and bring in a photographer and costumes.”

Where are cat lovers in all this pampering? Just happy to have a home that allows them to keep their furry friends.

“It’s not a lack of interest in cats that you don’t hear about cat amenities,” says Mann. “Cats are just so domesticated that they don’t really leave their condos.”

For developers, the idea of providing pet services and amenities is just one more way to appeal to consumers and bond with them around what they love, says Mann.

“Including pet amenities is definitely a trend that will continue,” says Sebba. “People won’t choose a building if they can’t bring their pets.”

Michele Lerner headshot
Michele Lerner

Michele Lerner is an award-winning freelance writer, editor and author who has been writing about real estate, personal finance and business topics for more than two decades.

Previous Post: «The Metro Plan by Pulte Homes in Naperville, IL The 5 Best Places to Retire in Illinois
Next Post: Why You Should Hire an Interior Designer Interior designer helps people visualize their new home»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar


newhomesource

Instagram post 2198070204634686346_2111875908 How would you decorate this home?⁠
⁠
#staircasefriday #homedecor #KHovnanianHomes #newhomesource
Instagram post 2197557758606158739_2111875908 This is a great tip! ⬇️
⁠
#repost @taylormorrisonhomes⁠
Safety first! Don’t forget to grab a hard hat and schedule an appointment with your sales manager before visiting your under-construction home. Congrats to this cute couple on their new digs in Montebello in Austin, TX. #ThisisTMLiving⁠
⁠
#throwbackthursday #newhomeowners #advice
Instagram post 2196756539553626043_2111875908 Thank you, future self 😋 🍷 🍷 🍷⁠
⁠
⁠
#winedownwednesday #winerack #newhomesource⁠
⁠
⁠
Instagram post 2196044362370831717_2111875908 #DidYouKnow that @NewHomeSource is the place to search for more new homes (and more!) than anywhere else in the United States? ⁠
⁠
Start searching now at https://newhomesource.com to #FindYourNewHome today 😀⁠
⁠
⁠
#newhomelistings #dreamcondos #dreamhomes #liveitnow
Instagram post 2195920312113447425_2111875908 #tinyhousetuesday⁠
⁠
@newhomesource has everything you need to know about maximizing your space when living in a #tinyhome 😀⁠
⁠
⁠
Find the article at ⁠
https://www.newhomesource.com/learn/maximize-space-tiny-home/⁠
⁠
#tinyhomes #tinyhouses #tinyhomelife #tinyhousemovement #tinyhouselove #tinyliving #newhomes #findyournewhome #newhomesource ⁠
Instagram post 2193177991424828665_2111875908 Every weekend should have a grand entrance 💥⁠
⁠
#staircasefriday #findyournewhome #newhomesource⁠
⁠
⁠
Instagram post 2192281847731197906_2111875908 #throwbackthursday🔙 ⁠
⁠
#Repost from @pultehomes⁠
Home sweet home! From hand-picked kitchen appliances perfect for an aspiring chef to energy-efficient window design, take a peek at @teryngregson’s beautifully crafted home. Which room is your favorite? #PulteInteriors ⁠
⁠
⁠
Congrats to the Gregson family on their new house 😀 Ready to start your search for a newly built home by the builder? You can do that with @newhomesource.com.⁠
⁠
#newhomeconstruction #newhomeowners #findyournewhome #newhomesource
Instagram post 2191686697142295414_2111875908 If you could have one of these homes: 1, 2 or 3?⁠⠀
-⁠⠀
Photo 1...The Overlook Plan One in Heritage Hills by Celebrity Communities in Lone Tree, Colorado. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Photo 2...Ralston in Vista Point at Southshore by Toll Brothers in Aurora, Colorado. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Photo 3...The Overlook Plan Three in Heritage Hills by Celebrity Communities in Lone Tree, Colorado.⁠⠀
-⁠⠀
#newhomeconstruction #coloradohomes #coloradocommunities #fantasyhome #dreamhome #architecture #housedesign #homedesign #homesweethome❤️
Instagram post 2190807441202205675_2111875908 #givingTuesday⁠
⁠
Leave a comment of where your favorite place to donate your time or money or reshare this to your Instagram to start a conversation 🤗⁠
⁠
#communityawareness #together #makeadifference #givingTuesday2019
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Footer

Quick Links

  • New 55+ Communities
  • NHS TV
  • Manufactured Homes
  • Luxury Homes
  • Condos & Townhomes

Related Sites & Tools

  • Casas Nuevas En Español
  • Start Fresh Buy New
  • Learning Center
  • Mortgage Calculator
  • For Realtors

About Us

  • About Us
  • Leadership Team
  • Media Inquiries
  • Builders: List your homes!

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Unsubscribe
  • Site Index
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2019 · Builders Digital Experience, LLC. All rights reserved. NewHomeSource.com is a trademark of Builders Digital Experience, LLC and all other marks are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.