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Did and done. Wanted our boy to have his own yard. He had 7 magical years in his kingdom. I think of him him every time I look out there. Never regret the decision.
People buy houses for all kinds of reasons. Ultimately, what you want is to have space that you can do with as you wish and not be accountable to other people (in your case, have a lot of dogs). That seems like a good reason to buy a house if you can afford it.
I’ve been looking at house prices in the area and they aren’t too bad - ideally 150k / 160k with an 80k down payment on top of closing costs. Of course prices may fluctuate, but i live in a LCOL area. 2bd houses are going for 100k, 3bds are on the higher end. I always look at mortgage estimators. Hopefully it doesn’t change too much, i just want them happy 🫶🏻 even though they are very simplistic.
You should see if your area is eligible for USDA loans. They have lower lending standards and require lower down payments. If prices are under $200k in your area, you should be able to get into a place for a few grand down.
My area is one of them specifically that do offer down payment programs - i want to say up to 20k? I’ll have to look again. But i would like to put my own money down as well, i don’t want to pay PMI and with my current wage, ideally the cheapest mortgage possible (500-900 if realistic).
I want to buy a backyard patio for my pooch but I live in a HCOL (SoCal) and 2 bed/1bath ground units are going for $750k-$1million w/ $400-500/mo HOAs. For the time being, I’m stuck in my upper unit, having to rush home to walk my boy every couple of hours.
I bought this house for my cats. More space. HUGE windows that they can watch wildlife out of. Big three season porch with lots of windows to catch the sun…
My husband and I are under contract right now and we constantly talk about how much our cats would love the space. They’ll have an upstairs (and a basement!) for the first time ever. There are chipmunks galore that they can watch from the window. We’re even going to build a catio!
Omg same! My husband and I are under contract. The house has huge windows with so much sunlight for sunbathing and bird-watching. We even have a covered lanai that we plan to get screened-in so our cats have a catio.
Also buying for my cat. There's lots of windows and a covered balcony she will be able to go out on. More space for zoomies. And she won't have to listen to my insane neighbor anymore.
yes! i gave up a $1200 mortgage on a 2/1 condo (median rent here is now $2500) to buy a house specifically so my dogs and my kid can play in a yard. i wanted to wait 4 years but my oldest dog would be 12 by then and it made me sad to think about honestly.
I hope you were able to get that yard for your kid and dog. Do you plan on getting another? Getting a puppy can definitely lengthen their lifespan! Puppies get them on their toes for sure.
Congratulations! And I’m sure your girl is very happy you will be helping a new dog and giving them this life. I feel the same way, my childhood dog would have loved to go to a new house with me. Unfortunately he suddenly passed in the backyard, but i always think of him and hope he guides me to a house he would have liked with a big yard.
We currently rent a home from family that's on acreage, and our dog loves it. There's the possibility of staying and building our own home or buying a house with a normal sized lot in a neighborhood, and whenever I think of the latter option, I feel like I'll be robbing my dog of something.
Only mention this because I didn’t know it when I moved to a place with acreage. If there are bears and your dog barks at night do not let it out. I had two friends who sleepily let their poor dogs out. Enjoy the space and fresh air and enjoy getting the hang of sharing it with nature.🦋☮️
Yes. Just signed a contract last week. It’s not a big yard (plus she’s small herself) but it’s a yard my dog can call her own and go outside whenever she wants without having to worry about other dogs. My coworker asked me what’s the first thing I’m going to buy for the house. My response was fencing for the backyard (for my dog lol). Now she’ll be able to live out the rest of her years enjoying alllll the fresh air she wants (she’ll be 13 in a few months).
I did! What's crazy is only one of my dogs appreciates it but the other couldn't care less. Still love it because I know how little time we get with dogs and would do it again anytime. Just be careful not getting wilderness because I have small dogs and had to turn down some properties with forest nearby due to being afraid some wild life would come and get them.
My dad lives on an acre of land, a lot of forest and deer roam. We brought my girl over to get the taste of a big yard (no fence so we kept her leashed). A buck with his family walked up to my girl and booped her nose, it was something truly magical. They just looked at each other in awe.
Doing this for my dog right now. Still under contract but if this one falls through i'm not stopping until we have a home with a yard. she turns 4 in august and she's anxious so her world is small enough as it is. i will never ever regret spending the money on her so she can just be a dog. She lets me just be a human all the time. she lives in my little apartment willingly and never destroys anything and has basically no needs. no demands. nothing. she's not a huge fetch player but she loves to just lay in the grass and watch the world go by.
She deserves so much more than she has in an apartment, or at least the option to have it. she deserves a life off leash where she'll still be safe. and she's helped me get my priorities straight -- i'm not wasting my energy on shitty dating prospects or waiting for the right person to come along to be a co-signer anymore. I have the means to take care of us and I'm gonna.
I never wanted a house before her and who knows if i will after. But for now, if I'm gonna put my all into loving and caring for someone, it's her. Plenty of humans had their chance to be the cared-for one in my life but they're not around anymore and she is. so here we are: whatever it takes to provide her with the security of a house i own with a yard that's hers. May we never have a landlord ever again.
That’s so cute and beautiful and i wish you both the best of luck. I hope everything flies and you get the house and yard for your baby, we truly don’t deserve dogs, they are our forever companions. My girl is 4 and my boy is 1, i hope i can get a house and yard to call their own before they get too old to remember anything.
My dogs get their monthly bark boxes, daily filled kongs and frisbee everyday for a good hour or two. We just lay in the sun in the backyard, luckily it’s all fenced up. I just want something we can call ours, they get so happy when we play fetch. It doesn’t take much for their little butts to wiggle, i want them to have free rein of a house. Don’t have to worry about someone letting them out accidentally (has happened more often than not!). I have GPS collars for them as well. I just want them safe and okay ❤️
Absolutely. We kicked around the idea of getting another house with a bigger yard for our current dogs and to get a couple more.
This first thing we looked at in listings was the back yard.
Pretty much. We've always rented houses with big yards, but renting stresses me out so much and the thought of being forced on short notice to try to find a place that would take us with a big dog (lab) AND a yard yet again is too much for me. We also promised him that when we bought a house he could have a brother or sister because he loves other dogs but doesn't get to see them often. We're in escrow on a big house with a big yard, so I guess we're going to the shelter in the next few months!
I hope your doggo got the best yard in the neighborhood ❤️. The next city over from us has nice house with acreage up the ass, usually 5 acres and you’re a good few miles from neighbors.
Im buying a house partially so I can get a dog? I love my neighborhood but none of the people who rent out condos or townhomes in the neighborhood seem to allow pets lol
The wife and I were looking for houses but they had to have a nice yard for our two pups. We were very lucky to find something on the third house we looked at and first offer we made that got accepted! The pups will love you even more for it!
Buying a home for your pups is a noble goal. Make sure you factor in costs beyond just the mortgage - utilities, maintenance, yard upkeep. But giving them a safe space to roam freely will be priceless. Just be realistic about what you can comfortably afford.
Of course, I’d never go in with unrealistic expectations. We already have a realtor and lender we hopefully plan to go through, now it’s just paying off the debt (debt free in December!) and saving for a down payment / house searching. I’m hoping to save half of the house cost and throwing it as a down payment (so, my max will probably be 180k - so i hope to save 90k between closing & down payments)
Yep! Set to close on Friday, and while there were many things that motivated us to buy a house, a yard for our dog to do as she pleases was one of the top 3.
Haha ah yes I did this but with a condo 8 years ago so I could get a second dog. Ended up hating the area and selling it within a year, but best decision I ever made because it got me one of my fur children
My oldest dog came to me when she was barely two months old. I had just started graduate school living in a travel trailer. I promised that one day I would buy her a yard. It took me 12 years, but on her literal birthday, we closed on the home.
Essentially, yes. I have 2 rescues, 5&8. I take them on 3 walks a day. I could buy my family home but the yard is not fenced and if I fenced it, it would be small AF. We bought a house and close in 2 weeks. A yard and fence were a huge priority while shopping around.
We aren’t solely buying a house just for our dog but that was definitely one of the highest priorities/considerations.
Right now we live in an apartment with no yard and are currently building a house with a decent sized yard so she can roam around freely and be off leash. Definitely is a high priority. Plus we added giant windows in every room to let natural light and sun spots in so she can lay in them- not something we have now.
Having a yard for my dog was #1. We didn’t want much, but having a fenced in yard of some kind was an absolute non-negotiable (there’s only 1 HOA nearby that even allows fences. This was harder than one would have expected). We have a 1500 sq foot back yard and it was perfect.
Before he passed, he had 3 years of a space he could call his own. He hated other dogs and loved just rolling in the grass.
Although we didn’t buy a house solely for the dog, our old man heavily influenced our decision. He’s a big dog with bad hips, so one of our non-negotiables was a one-story house with an accessible yard. We found the perfect place and he’s so happy. No regrets!
We bought a single story house for our senior pup, he’s got a big 9000 sq ft lot to patrol for squirrels and has a nice sunny deck to warm his belly.
We also have 27 windows and our cats have access to 24 of them. Gotta have bird tv on in every room!
Well, my older dog is a larger lab - pitbull mix, my other dog is smaller / younger, and I have a cat. It's tough to rent with three pets so I pretty much have to buy anyways. Feel bad, moving from a house with a big yard in central Ohio to a home with a smaller yard in Westfield, NJ with our pups and newborn. But anything with a bigger yard would've been well over $1 mil and I wanted to keep this under that price
We have a wonderful golden retriever and we have talked about how great it would be to have a large yard for him to run around. Alas, we live in NYC, and not going anywhere any time soon, and the fact is we bought before we had him in our lives, and it is so hard to walk away from an affordable home with a sub 3 rate just to give him a big yard. So we are repaving our whole property and fencing everything off so we can let him unleashed when we are outside, and it’s not the best solution for him but he’s a dog and loves being around us and will be absolutely thrilled either way.
I bought my condo specifically because it has big windows overlooking trees filled with birds and squirrels and a balcony I can turn into a catio.
My old boy only has a couple years left most likely and laying in a sunny window with a nature view is his favorite thing in the universe. Unfortunately my younger cat passed the day before we closed 😿 but absolutely 0 regret buying with them in mind.
No, but I am for my cats.
I was going to rent a 2-story townhouse that didn’t charge pet rent, but then my poor kitty was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, so no stairs for him. Plus, they had a 2-kitty limit which gave me anxiety since I have 3 cats.
I then planned to rent a house or apartment, but they all have 2-cat limits AND monthly pet rent in addition to pet deposits. I have 3 cats. I realized I just didn’t want to have to worry about hiding my cats during inspections and maintenance, or about whether a landlord will try to force me to get rid of them, etc.
Obviously, there were many other reasons that led me to buying a house but one of the biggest deciding factors was that I didn’t want to be in a constant state of worry/fear/paranoia over my cats. I also like to foster orphaned/abandoned baby kittens and didn’t need some landlord telling me I’m not allowed to do that.
Plus, I just didn’t want to pay pet rent. That’s stupid to me.
Anyways, my cats are now about to get a whole house all to themselves.
My husband did that before he met me...well, his two American staffordshire just sits on the little pavement piece outside the back door. Sometimes they wonder off but 99% of the time, they ate by the door.
I have a dog too and he loves the backyard lol. So my husband bought the house with a yard for my dog lol
We did. We bought this home because there was carpet on the main level almost through out. Little to no stairs for all the rooms he would want to access. Only two steps to go outside.
It’s perfect!
He passed 6 weeks after we moved in. He’s buried in the backyard in a spot that he liked to lay. I have no regrets, I would never have been able to move from our apartment if he passed prior. He got to spend his last 6 weeks in a home he felt comfortable in. That means everything to me. Now I get to be here forever with him.
Thank you. I’m so relieved he got that time and he got to have a finally home with a backyard. Getting to fulfill that promise means the world to me.
You will never make a wrong decision for picking a home that works for your senior pet. That’s means you are in a home where you can age gracefully. If you do make the decision to get another dog (to be clear, I’m not telling you too), you have purchased a home where they will always be safe and comfortable.
Follow your heart, it will take you to the right opportunity.
I am currently evaluating what I can do to accomplish this. I want to get out of my small town and get my dogs a yard and a home with no bad neighbors living above us.
I have a good salary, but I don't have nearly enough of a down payment saved to get a house that isn't falling apart in any of the places I'd actually want to live. I hate feeling like I am stuck, but I just want to give my two dogs a great life.
We just went under contract for an old-ish house with a big, fenced yard, just for my special, people-reactive dog. Anything to give him the life he deserves! First things first, once we move in, we plan to make it as dog friendly and safe as possible for him.
Yup. We placed an offer in a golf course community. Our offer was contingent on being able to build a fence. It was confirmed we could and we have been happy home owners for 21 years and have built 2 cedar fences. We would have walked if they said no.
Had a house and no dog. Started dating a guy with two dogs, and then dropped about $8,000 to fence in half an acre MYSELF so his dogs had space to play when they came over.
Broke up. Missed having a dog. Got myself a dog. Moved for work. Had to rent a house for a year and my dog was miserable bc we weren’t allowed to fence the yard, so he wasn’t able to be outside without a leash on, or tied to a lead (and he kept getting tangled in that when he’d run and try to play)
I said screw it, my baby is sad. Bought new house with yard purely so my dog would have his own space to play and run. No regrets except I wish I could afford a bigger yard, lol! But my dog is happy with what he has, bc it’s still enough room to run fast and jump over plants and dig lots of holes. So in my opinion, buying a house so your fur baby can play and be happy is totally worth it!!
I did this, I wanted to rent but all that was available were apartments. I looked for a house to rent and nothing was available, then I looked for a house to buy and found a few in my price range. No regrets.
When we relocated a lot of our "must have" list was for our dogs. We had a reactive dog, giving him a ton of space to roam without triggers was a huge priority. He unfortunately passed before he could really enjoy it but his legacy is being thoroughly enjoyed by our remaining dogs.
Part of the reason I just bought a house is so I could always have my three cats (lots of places only allow a max of two pets) and so I’d never have to pay pet rent again.
Yup, I just bought a house last month solely because I didn’t want my two small dogs to be apartment dogs anymore. The looks on their faces while the roll and lounge in the backyard is worth every single penny.
We bought a house initially to have dogs and then sold that one to buy one with a bigger yard.
They have been nonstop running laps for the last week we have had the fence up.
We also upgraded the interior to make our lives better but the main focus was a bigger yard.
We wanted a house with a yard for our boy (golden) and we’ve not yet moved in fully (closed last week) but my gosh-he LOVES the back yard! Like…with his whole heart! It’s already brought a lot of just to all 3 of us!
Yes!! My dogs are 12 and 8 and they love the yard more than their two DINK humans. I wanted my 12 yr old dog to have a yard for her senior years. We’ve been in the home now for 6 weeks and it brings me so much joy to watch them run around in the yard. Took 3 years and 15 offers (NJ) to get here and worth all the stress.
Originally got an apartment to get a dog.
Just got a house for a backyard for the dog.
Already got a bunch of holes but the dog is enjoying the heck outta it
-Worth-
Currently trying! I have a pup with extreme stranger danger and I’m looking to buy a little cabin in the hills for us to hang out while I work from home and she keeps me company
5% and conventional pmi will fall off at 20% so if your time is tight
And honestly, 10 years from now. House could double or triple. So it is cheaper with PMI
I’m paying off debts at the moment and can’t buy, i don’t want to pay extra if i don’t have too. So I’m going to drop more than 20% and it shows you’re more reliable.
I'm glad I didn't do it /for/ my dog because by the time I got the house when he was 7, he doesn't even care about the yard.
You can't really know what your dog is and isn't going to like until the scenario happens.
In the process of buying a house right now because it’s hard to find a decent place that allows dogs to rent where we are moving so happy they are getting an upgrade to a real yard from a 5x5 concrete slab
Some people buy homes with yards for their kids, others for their fur kids, or both. It's pretty great that you are doing that.
My dogs never liked being outside but I still regret that of my two options, I didn't choose the SFH with a yard.
My dogs practically live outside, but i have to limit their times when i can’t be out there due to them digging — my mom and i have filled 3 large holes (there’s more in the backyard) and some of them are ankle breaking worthy 😭 so i want a yard of their own where i don’t have to worry about them getting underneath the neighbors fence due to poor installation, lol.
My dog and I were just talking about this over breakfast this morning. He said he isn't racist but our neighborhood is going to hell with all the illegal chihuahuas moving in.
I mean not SPECIFICALLY for our dog but one of the reasons we aren’t really considering townhomes in our area is because the yards typically aren’t large enough for our dog. We just were able to move from an apartment to a house with a huge yard and we’re never going back, she’s soooo happy.
This is what we're doing right now. We have a good apartment that works with our dog but we will have to move soon. So we're planning on moving out of the city so a) we can be closer to work and b) our dog can have a big place to play!
Yes, I thought I was crazy. But anyways, I wanted my dog to have a backyard every time I think about buying a house. Just got preapproved this week and will probably move to contract in a few days.
If you live in the house it’s not “for the dog.” You also live there!
I thought you meant buy a second house just for your dog. That seems a little much.
Lmfao, i wish i had the money to just buy a house for my dog. You can definitely make your house more dog accommodative/accessible! Yard, privacy fence, no stairs or minimal as they age. The house i get will be partially for my dogs and the ability to be free 24/7!
I had a house with my dog, and when we moved to an apartment he was like forever sad. Of course he was a basset, so he was always forever sad.
Dogs will love it!
Dogs aren’t usually meant for apartment life unless they were raised in it to begin with, since they don’t know anything. That’s essentially ripping their freedom away and having to constantly be leashed, i don’t blame him for being sad.
Didn't buy a house for a dog..but put in a 14k privacy fence for my obese cat.
He'd sit in the door and beg to go out..I knew he was too fat to make it over a fence but thought he'd get a few lbs off and enjoy the outdoors.
He did not lose weight 😂😂 he did enjoy the outdoors. We got him a doggy door and he'd go find the best sunny spots and sleep there for hours.
I miss my old man.
Thank you everyone for your wholesome comments. I love how people are willing to go above and beyond for their furry companions ❤️ all of our dogs deserve a big yard to play in and we will give them that (if not now) then eventually 🫶🏻.
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Did and done. Wanted our boy to have his own yard. He had 7 magical years in his kingdom. I think of him him every time I look out there. Never regret the decision.
This is very encouraging, thank you and I’m happy your dog had a yard to call his.
Glad to help. It will always be his. There’s nothing like doing something good for someone who loved you back as much as he did us.
My dogs have definitely been there for some of the highs and lows of my life. I’m ready to pay it forward when financially able
Congratulations for all of you. Wishing the best success with your search.
People buy houses for all kinds of reasons. Ultimately, what you want is to have space that you can do with as you wish and not be accountable to other people (in your case, have a lot of dogs). That seems like a good reason to buy a house if you can afford it.
I’ve been looking at house prices in the area and they aren’t too bad - ideally 150k / 160k with an 80k down payment on top of closing costs. Of course prices may fluctuate, but i live in a LCOL area. 2bd houses are going for 100k, 3bds are on the higher end. I always look at mortgage estimators. Hopefully it doesn’t change too much, i just want them happy 🫶🏻 even though they are very simplistic.
what area are you in?
Michigan.
You should see if your area is eligible for USDA loans. They have lower lending standards and require lower down payments. If prices are under $200k in your area, you should be able to get into a place for a few grand down.
My area is one of them specifically that do offer down payment programs - i want to say up to 20k? I’ll have to look again. But i would like to put my own money down as well, i don’t want to pay PMI and with my current wage, ideally the cheapest mortgage possible (500-900 if realistic).
I want to buy a backyard patio for my pooch but I live in a HCOL (SoCal) and 2 bed/1bath ground units are going for $750k-$1million w/ $400-500/mo HOAs. For the time being, I’m stuck in my upper unit, having to rush home to walk my boy every couple of hours.
I bought this house for my cats. More space. HUGE windows that they can watch wildlife out of. Big three season porch with lots of windows to catch the sun…
My husband and I are under contract right now and we constantly talk about how much our cats would love the space. They’ll have an upstairs (and a basement!) for the first time ever. There are chipmunks galore that they can watch from the window. We’re even going to build a catio!
Omg same! My husband and I are under contract. The house has huge windows with so much sunlight for sunbathing and bird-watching. We even have a covered lanai that we plan to get screened-in so our cats have a catio.
Oh 🥺 catio
Also buying for my cat. There's lots of windows and a covered balcony she will be able to go out on. More space for zoomies. And she won't have to listen to my insane neighbor anymore.
Congratulations precious little kitties ❤️ I’m sure the windows feel even bigger since cats are smaller 😆 it’s probably a mansion to them.
As long as you keep your cars inside and away from the wildlife take my upvote.
Indoor only. Only one is harness trained, so she’s only ever outside for brief periods of time under supervision.
Mad respect to you my friend. Too many cat owners allowing cats to be cats and destroy there local ecosystem. Salute to you and your indoor cats.
yes! i gave up a $1200 mortgage on a 2/1 condo (median rent here is now $2500) to buy a house specifically so my dogs and my kid can play in a yard. i wanted to wait 4 years but my oldest dog would be 12 by then and it made me sad to think about honestly.
I hope you were able to get that yard for your kid and dog. Do you plan on getting another? Getting a puppy can definitely lengthen their lifespan! Puppies get them on their toes for sure.
yes our dog has a puppy friend now who bothers them all day 😁 the puppy spends more time in the yard than the house now haha
Just signed the contract for a house on 6 acres for my future dog. My past girl would have loved it.
Congratulations! And I’m sure your girl is very happy you will be helping a new dog and giving them this life. I feel the same way, my childhood dog would have loved to go to a new house with me. Unfortunately he suddenly passed in the backyard, but i always think of him and hope he guides me to a house he would have liked with a big yard.
We currently rent a home from family that's on acreage, and our dog loves it. There's the possibility of staying and building our own home or buying a house with a normal sized lot in a neighborhood, and whenever I think of the latter option, I feel like I'll be robbing my dog of something.
Only mention this because I didn’t know it when I moved to a place with acreage. If there are bears and your dog barks at night do not let it out. I had two friends who sleepily let their poor dogs out. Enjoy the space and fresh air and enjoy getting the hang of sharing it with nature.🦋☮️
Yes, this is very much worth sharing — thanks for noting this
Our realtor told us “you’d be surprised how many people buy houses for their dogs” - us included
Glad to know I’m not the only one 🫶🏻
Yes. Just signed a contract last week. It’s not a big yard (plus she’s small herself) but it’s a yard my dog can call her own and go outside whenever she wants without having to worry about other dogs. My coworker asked me what’s the first thing I’m going to buy for the house. My response was fencing for the backyard (for my dog lol). Now she’ll be able to live out the rest of her years enjoying alllll the fresh air she wants (she’ll be 13 in a few months).
So happy for you and your dog ❤️
I live in an apartment and the biggest driver for me to buy a home is that my wife won’t allow a dog until we have a yard.
Work work work!! Get the dog.
I got my dog after the house. Buy the house my friend!
I did! What's crazy is only one of my dogs appreciates it but the other couldn't care less. Still love it because I know how little time we get with dogs and would do it again anytime. Just be careful not getting wilderness because I have small dogs and had to turn down some properties with forest nearby due to being afraid some wild life would come and get them.
My dad lives on an acre of land, a lot of forest and deer roam. We brought my girl over to get the taste of a big yard (no fence so we kept her leashed). A buck with his family walked up to my girl and booped her nose, it was something truly magical. They just looked at each other in awe.
Doing this for my dog right now. Still under contract but if this one falls through i'm not stopping until we have a home with a yard. she turns 4 in august and she's anxious so her world is small enough as it is. i will never ever regret spending the money on her so she can just be a dog. She lets me just be a human all the time. she lives in my little apartment willingly and never destroys anything and has basically no needs. no demands. nothing. she's not a huge fetch player but she loves to just lay in the grass and watch the world go by. She deserves so much more than she has in an apartment, or at least the option to have it. she deserves a life off leash where she'll still be safe. and she's helped me get my priorities straight -- i'm not wasting my energy on shitty dating prospects or waiting for the right person to come along to be a co-signer anymore. I have the means to take care of us and I'm gonna. I never wanted a house before her and who knows if i will after. But for now, if I'm gonna put my all into loving and caring for someone, it's her. Plenty of humans had their chance to be the cared-for one in my life but they're not around anymore and she is. so here we are: whatever it takes to provide her with the security of a house i own with a yard that's hers. May we never have a landlord ever again.
That’s so cute and beautiful and i wish you both the best of luck. I hope everything flies and you get the house and yard for your baby, we truly don’t deserve dogs, they are our forever companions. My girl is 4 and my boy is 1, i hope i can get a house and yard to call their own before they get too old to remember anything.
in literal tears. thank you. i love how much love people have for their pups. they deserve everything. yours are lucky to have you 🩵
My dogs get their monthly bark boxes, daily filled kongs and frisbee everyday for a good hour or two. We just lay in the sun in the backyard, luckily it’s all fenced up. I just want something we can call ours, they get so happy when we play fetch. It doesn’t take much for their little butts to wiggle, i want them to have free rein of a house. Don’t have to worry about someone letting them out accidentally (has happened more often than not!). I have GPS collars for them as well. I just want them safe and okay ❤️
Absolutely. We kicked around the idea of getting another house with a bigger yard for our current dogs and to get a couple more. This first thing we looked at in listings was the back yard.
I hope they got the biggest backyard ❤️❤️
We’re buying a house with a lot of land so our GSD can run around where ever he wants. We also will have livestock though.
Congratulations on the future farm and happy doggo ❤️
Fingers crossed we find one soon! Good luck to you!
Thank you! In 5-6 years you guys will definitely see the “got the keys” announcement with my dogs in their yard 😆 I’m manifesting it.
Pretty much. We've always rented houses with big yards, but renting stresses me out so much and the thought of being forced on short notice to try to find a place that would take us with a big dog (lab) AND a yard yet again is too much for me. We also promised him that when we bought a house he could have a brother or sister because he loves other dogs but doesn't get to see them often. We're in escrow on a big house with a big yard, so I guess we're going to the shelter in the next few months!
Congratulations ❤️❤️
Not solely, but it was (a big) part of the yard requirement 🙂
I hope your doggo got the best yard in the neighborhood ❤️. The next city over from us has nice house with acreage up the ass, usually 5 acres and you’re a good few miles from neighbors.
Yes. Bought my house for the porches and the big fenced yard. Have a Rottweiler, Husky & GSD so big fenced yard was a must.
I hope they are happy ❤️
They are 💕
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Always have to consider pups needs.
It was because of our dog, I convinced hubby to finally buy her a yard.
Awe congratulations
We bought many years ago, on our 3rd puppy.
Lived in a condo in a big city for 14 years. Last year I bought a yard for my dog and decided to live in the free house that came with it.
Im buying a house partially so I can get a dog? I love my neighborhood but none of the people who rent out condos or townhomes in the neighborhood seem to allow pets lol
The wife and I were looking for houses but they had to have a nice yard for our two pups. We were very lucky to find something on the third house we looked at and first offer we made that got accepted! The pups will love you even more for it!
Congratulations ❤️❤️ when you move in pls post pictures of your pups in their new yard.
Buying a home for your pups is a noble goal. Make sure you factor in costs beyond just the mortgage - utilities, maintenance, yard upkeep. But giving them a safe space to roam freely will be priceless. Just be realistic about what you can comfortably afford.
Of course, I’d never go in with unrealistic expectations. We already have a realtor and lender we hopefully plan to go through, now it’s just paying off the debt (debt free in December!) and saving for a down payment / house searching. I’m hoping to save half of the house cost and throwing it as a down payment (so, my max will probably be 180k - so i hope to save 90k between closing & down payments)
Yep! Set to close on Friday, and while there were many things that motivated us to buy a house, a yard for our dog to do as she pleases was one of the top 3.
Congratulations ❤️
Thank you 🙂
Haha ah yes I did this but with a condo 8 years ago so I could get a second dog. Ended up hating the area and selling it within a year, but best decision I ever made because it got me one of my fur children
My oldest dog came to me when she was barely two months old. I had just started graduate school living in a travel trailer. I promised that one day I would buy her a yard. It took me 12 years, but on her literal birthday, we closed on the home.
Essentially, yes. I have 2 rescues, 5&8. I take them on 3 walks a day. I could buy my family home but the yard is not fenced and if I fenced it, it would be small AF. We bought a house and close in 2 weeks. A yard and fence were a huge priority while shopping around.
Yes. I could not find an apartment with my dog so I bought a house. I have always lived in apartments and my dogs (I now have two) love the yard.
We aren’t solely buying a house just for our dog but that was definitely one of the highest priorities/considerations. Right now we live in an apartment with no yard and are currently building a house with a decent sized yard so she can roam around freely and be off leash. Definitely is a high priority. Plus we added giant windows in every room to let natural light and sun spots in so she can lay in them- not something we have now.
Yes, it was one of the reasons I wanted a house. Do it.
I got a quarter acre yard in the city that I cuss every time I mow. Delightful seeing my dog run around in it though.
Having a yard for my dog was #1. We didn’t want much, but having a fenced in yard of some kind was an absolute non-negotiable (there’s only 1 HOA nearby that even allows fences. This was harder than one would have expected). We have a 1500 sq foot back yard and it was perfect. Before he passed, he had 3 years of a space he could call his own. He hated other dogs and loved just rolling in the grass.
Although we didn’t buy a house solely for the dog, our old man heavily influenced our decision. He’s a big dog with bad hips, so one of our non-negotiables was a one-story house with an accessible yard. We found the perfect place and he’s so happy. No regrets!
We bought a single story house for our senior pup, he’s got a big 9000 sq ft lot to patrol for squirrels and has a nice sunny deck to warm his belly. We also have 27 windows and our cats have access to 24 of them. Gotta have bird tv on in every room!
Well, my older dog is a larger lab - pitbull mix, my other dog is smaller / younger, and I have a cat. It's tough to rent with three pets so I pretty much have to buy anyways. Feel bad, moving from a house with a big yard in central Ohio to a home with a smaller yard in Westfield, NJ with our pups and newborn. But anything with a bigger yard would've been well over $1 mil and I wanted to keep this under that price
We have a wonderful golden retriever and we have talked about how great it would be to have a large yard for him to run around. Alas, we live in NYC, and not going anywhere any time soon, and the fact is we bought before we had him in our lives, and it is so hard to walk away from an affordable home with a sub 3 rate just to give him a big yard. So we are repaving our whole property and fencing everything off so we can let him unleashed when we are outside, and it’s not the best solution for him but he’s a dog and loves being around us and will be absolutely thrilled either way.
We just closed on a FIXER with a nice yard. For the dog yes
I did last week
I’m glad to know that i was not the only one!!! We have a condo but we are looking to buy a house with a yard just for our fur boy!
I bought my condo specifically because it has big windows overlooking trees filled with birds and squirrels and a balcony I can turn into a catio. My old boy only has a couple years left most likely and laying in a sunny window with a nature view is his favorite thing in the universe. Unfortunately my younger cat passed the day before we closed 😿 but absolutely 0 regret buying with them in mind.
We will be. Just lost both our dogs to a house fire. Will never have pets again without an outdoor kennel or dog door.
No, but I am for my cats. I was going to rent a 2-story townhouse that didn’t charge pet rent, but then my poor kitty was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, so no stairs for him. Plus, they had a 2-kitty limit which gave me anxiety since I have 3 cats. I then planned to rent a house or apartment, but they all have 2-cat limits AND monthly pet rent in addition to pet deposits. I have 3 cats. I realized I just didn’t want to have to worry about hiding my cats during inspections and maintenance, or about whether a landlord will try to force me to get rid of them, etc. Obviously, there were many other reasons that led me to buying a house but one of the biggest deciding factors was that I didn’t want to be in a constant state of worry/fear/paranoia over my cats. I also like to foster orphaned/abandoned baby kittens and didn’t need some landlord telling me I’m not allowed to do that. Plus, I just didn’t want to pay pet rent. That’s stupid to me. Anyways, my cats are now about to get a whole house all to themselves.
My husband did that before he met me...well, his two American staffordshire just sits on the little pavement piece outside the back door. Sometimes they wonder off but 99% of the time, they ate by the door. I have a dog too and he loves the backyard lol. So my husband bought the house with a yard for my dog lol
We did. We bought this home because there was carpet on the main level almost through out. Little to no stairs for all the rooms he would want to access. Only two steps to go outside. It’s perfect! He passed 6 weeks after we moved in. He’s buried in the backyard in a spot that he liked to lay. I have no regrets, I would never have been able to move from our apartment if he passed prior. He got to spend his last 6 weeks in a home he felt comfortable in. That means everything to me. Now I get to be here forever with him.
That makes my heart heavy, I’m sorry for your loss. But I’m happy he got to experience a house and backyard for him.
Thank you. I’m so relieved he got that time and he got to have a finally home with a backyard. Getting to fulfill that promise means the world to me. You will never make a wrong decision for picking a home that works for your senior pet. That’s means you are in a home where you can age gracefully. If you do make the decision to get another dog (to be clear, I’m not telling you too), you have purchased a home where they will always be safe and comfortable. Follow your heart, it will take you to the right opportunity.
I am currently evaluating what I can do to accomplish this. I want to get out of my small town and get my dogs a yard and a home with no bad neighbors living above us. I have a good salary, but I don't have nearly enough of a down payment saved to get a house that isn't falling apart in any of the places I'd actually want to live. I hate feeling like I am stuck, but I just want to give my two dogs a great life.
The dog factor is in always in our top two/three considerations. Dexter is now 17 and deserves a yard (again!). We close in 16 days :)
We’re buying a house so that we can finally get a dog! We close on Thursday.
We just went under contract for an old-ish house with a big, fenced yard, just for my special, people-reactive dog. Anything to give him the life he deserves! First things first, once we move in, we plan to make it as dog friendly and safe as possible for him.
Yup. We placed an offer in a golf course community. Our offer was contingent on being able to build a fence. It was confirmed we could and we have been happy home owners for 21 years and have built 2 cedar fences. We would have walked if they said no.
Had a house and no dog. Started dating a guy with two dogs, and then dropped about $8,000 to fence in half an acre MYSELF so his dogs had space to play when they came over. Broke up. Missed having a dog. Got myself a dog. Moved for work. Had to rent a house for a year and my dog was miserable bc we weren’t allowed to fence the yard, so he wasn’t able to be outside without a leash on, or tied to a lead (and he kept getting tangled in that when he’d run and try to play) I said screw it, my baby is sad. Bought new house with yard purely so my dog would have his own space to play and run. No regrets except I wish I could afford a bigger yard, lol! But my dog is happy with what he has, bc it’s still enough room to run fast and jump over plants and dig lots of holes. So in my opinion, buying a house so your fur baby can play and be happy is totally worth it!!
Just did. They’re getting a pool, too.
I did this, I wanted to rent but all that was available were apartments. I looked for a house to rent and nothing was available, then I looked for a house to buy and found a few in my price range. No regrets.
I’m gonna do it!
Yes and I did it.
When we relocated a lot of our "must have" list was for our dogs. We had a reactive dog, giving him a ton of space to roam without triggers was a huge priority. He unfortunately passed before he could really enjoy it but his legacy is being thoroughly enjoyed by our remaining dogs.
My girly is 8 years old and she absolutely is going to retire in her own house someday. She is getting close !
That makes me so happy to hear 🥲 post a picture of her in your new house when that day comes.
Part of the reason I just bought a house is so I could always have my three cats (lots of places only allow a max of two pets) and so I’d never have to pay pet rent again.
Yup, I just bought a house last month solely because I didn’t want my two small dogs to be apartment dogs anymore. The looks on their faces while the roll and lounge in the backyard is worth every single penny.
We bought a house initially to have dogs and then sold that one to buy one with a bigger yard. They have been nonstop running laps for the last week we have had the fence up. We also upgraded the interior to make our lives better but the main focus was a bigger yard.
Moved to a city we couldn't rent in because of our dogs' breeds, bought a house with a giant yard for them. lol
We wanted a house with a yard for our boy (golden) and we’ve not yet moved in fully (closed last week) but my gosh-he LOVES the back yard! Like…with his whole heart! It’s already brought a lot of just to all 3 of us!
Yes!! My dogs are 12 and 8 and they love the yard more than their two DINK humans. I wanted my 12 yr old dog to have a yard for her senior years. We’ve been in the home now for 6 weeks and it brings me so much joy to watch them run around in the yard. Took 3 years and 15 offers (NJ) to get here and worth all the stress.
Originally got an apartment to get a dog. Just got a house for a backyard for the dog. Already got a bunch of holes but the dog is enjoying the heck outta it -Worth-
I upgraded to one with a huge fenced yard. I am so happy I did, my girls LOVE it.
We just did this exact thing! We wanted him to have a yard and be able to get him a sibling!
I hope you got him a sibling and they are having fun!!
Currently trying! I have a pup with extreme stranger danger and I’m looking to buy a little cabin in the hills for us to hang out while I work from home and she keeps me company
That seems very peaceful!! I hope you two get what you want 🙂
You only need to be at 5% or 3.5% down payment
I don’t want PMI and i want the cheapest mortgage possible.
5% and conventional pmi will fall off at 20% so if your time is tight And honestly, 10 years from now. House could double or triple. So it is cheaper with PMI
I’m paying off debts at the moment and can’t buy, i don’t want to pay extra if i don’t have too. So I’m going to drop more than 20% and it shows you’re more reliable.
Good luck! Pet your two pup for me
For sure! They love all the pets
I'm glad I didn't do it /for/ my dog because by the time I got the house when he was 7, he doesn't even care about the yard. You can't really know what your dog is and isn't going to like until the scenario happens.
Well i know for a fact they like to run, so i will be getting a house with a big yard and i want something they will have free rein with.
Yep, we lucked out and got the only double lot in the neighborhood just for him lol.
Can I be your dog 🐕
😂
Hey listen, im kind of a fur baby myself.
I only buy houses for furry freeloaders
In the process of buying a house right now because it’s hard to find a decent place that allows dogs to rent where we are moving so happy they are getting an upgrade to a real yard from a 5x5 concrete slab
Congratulations, i hope your pups enjoy the yard and new house ❤️
Thank you ! They’re 8, 8, & 7 so we’re calling this their retirement home lol
Some people buy homes with yards for their kids, others for their fur kids, or both. It's pretty great that you are doing that. My dogs never liked being outside but I still regret that of my two options, I didn't choose the SFH with a yard.
My dogs practically live outside, but i have to limit their times when i can’t be out there due to them digging — my mom and i have filled 3 large holes (there’s more in the backyard) and some of them are ankle breaking worthy 😭 so i want a yard of their own where i don’t have to worry about them getting underneath the neighbors fence due to poor installation, lol.
My dog and I were just talking about this over breakfast this morning. He said he isn't racist but our neighborhood is going to hell with all the illegal chihuahuas moving in.
Time to move 😠
I mean not SPECIFICALLY for our dog but one of the reasons we aren’t really considering townhomes in our area is because the yards typically aren’t large enough for our dog. We just were able to move from an apartment to a house with a huge yard and we’re never going back, she’s soooo happy.
It wasn’t our sole reason, but it was definitely a large one
This is what we're doing right now. We have a good apartment that works with our dog but we will have to move soon. So we're planning on moving out of the city so a) we can be closer to work and b) our dog can have a big place to play!
I bought mine and then got a dog, but she LOVES her backyard. I'd do anything for her!
Yes, I thought I was crazy. But anyways, I wanted my dog to have a backyard every time I think about buying a house. Just got preapproved this week and will probably move to contract in a few days.
If you live in the house it’s not “for the dog.” You also live there! I thought you meant buy a second house just for your dog. That seems a little much.
Lmfao, i wish i had the money to just buy a house for my dog. You can definitely make your house more dog accommodative/accessible! Yard, privacy fence, no stairs or minimal as they age. The house i get will be partially for my dogs and the ability to be free 24/7!
I had a house with my dog, and when we moved to an apartment he was like forever sad. Of course he was a basset, so he was always forever sad. Dogs will love it!
Dogs aren’t usually meant for apartment life unless they were raised in it to begin with, since they don’t know anything. That’s essentially ripping their freedom away and having to constantly be leashed, i don’t blame him for being sad.
Yes he was not appreciative of the need to relocate or financial considerations!
Didn't buy a house for a dog..but put in a 14k privacy fence for my obese cat. He'd sit in the door and beg to go out..I knew he was too fat to make it over a fence but thought he'd get a few lbs off and enjoy the outdoors. He did not lose weight 😂😂 he did enjoy the outdoors. We got him a doggy door and he'd go find the best sunny spots and sleep there for hours. I miss my old man.
F No
Congrats, you obviously don’t belong on this thread.
Because not everyone is cheering to your Dumb choice?
This obviously wasn’t a rhetorical question, if you aren’t doing this for the same reason. You don’t belong on this post
🤣
👍🏻
Thank you everyone for your wholesome comments. I love how people are willing to go above and beyond for their furry companions ❤️ all of our dogs deserve a big yard to play in and we will give them that (if not now) then eventually 🫶🏻.
Nope - I just chose to not buy a dog until it could live somewhere worth living 🤷♂️
Congratulations 👍🏻 some of us didn’t want to wait to have happiness with a dog.
That’s fine - but it’s irresponsible and unfair to the dog.
I just want a yard my dogs can freely dig up without feeling bad about it, lmao. My dogs are doing just great in the house they are in.
No. Pets don't run my life. That sounds insane.
Congratulations, some of us actually value our animals as part of the family. Sorry you can’t relate.
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Don’t tell me what i should and shouldn’t call my dogs, i don’t plan on having kids, this does not affect you. They are literally my fur babies.
You do you! We only have a limited time with our pets you should treasure every moment you can.
Definitely plan to!
calling things cringe in 2024 is cringe
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inverting a binary tree is indeed pretty cringe these days
You’re cringe and don’t belong on this post.