From the Editor My Parents were ‘Fur Parents’ First

BY ERIC BERMAN

If you were to ask my parents who their first child was, they wouldn’t say my name, their actual biological first-born. They would answer with the names of their golden retrievers Fetchit and Sunny. This was in the early 70s and they were “fur parents” before there was even a term for it.

Regardless of the time period, growing up with pets is a great experience. My animals were the best companions. When I didn’t have a friend to play with, I always had one of my pets. Growing up on a dead-end street in the suburbs, having a pet seemed rather easy. When they needed to go to the bathroom, they’d scratch on the door and I’d let them out. They’d go do their business, then scratch to come back in. I know that’s not how we’d do it today, but my pets were part of the neighborhood and it worked at the time. However, other than having doors installed on the living room so the dogs and cats wouldn’t go in (or maybe they were put there to keep me and my brother out???), I only remember one pet-specific modification we ever made to the property. It was when we had an inground pool installed. Golden retrievers are known for three things: long hair, a great disposition, and a love of water. My parents understood that if we had an inground pool, there was going to be an excellent chance the dogs would take themselves for a swim. While the long hair in the filter might be a nuisance, their main concern was if they got in that their claws would rip the pool liner when they tried to get out. Because of that, they made sure the pool had stairs and not just ladders. Pet owners today are taking their love of their animals to a whole new level, especially when it comes to the homes they buy and live in. For that reason, you have in your hands our first-ever animal-focused edition of BSR. I also want you to know that we were intentional not to call it our “pets” issue, because service animals also play a role in the homebuying process. In this issue’s feature “Putting Their Fur Babies First” by Bridget McCrae on page 14, you’ll learn six ways you can help your clients find the best home for their furry offspring. In addition to the feature, the animal theme will run through most of the content in the issue including: Notes from the Legal Hotline, Legal Realtor®, 5QW, Trending Topics, Member Benefit Spotlight and more. And because people love their animals, every author (who has one) is pictured with their pet.

Eric with Fetchit circa 1975

P.S. I must share the official American Kennel Club names of my parents’ first two dogs, because they are too fun not to share: Barry’s Lord Fetchit and Sunshine Girl of Truell Pond. Their third dog (one of the puppies from Fetchit and Sunny’s first litter) was named Eric’s Ruff-n-Tumble. Better known as Ruff! THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF

THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF

REALTORS ®

MARCH/APRIL 2020 VOL. 67, NO.2

PRESIDENT Kurt Thompson, CBR, CRS, LMC PRESIDENT-ELECT Stephen Medeiros, CRS, SRES, e-Pro TREASURER Dawn Ruffini, CHMS, CNS

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Anne Meczywor, ARS CBR, CRS, AHWD

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR/ EDITOR IN CHIEF Eric Berman, RCE PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Sabrina Lapointe ART DIRECTOR Sharon Womble ADVERTISING SALES Julie Lewis (508) 612-4841

(Publication No. 703-610) ISSN: 0891-5539 Published by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors ® , Mailing Address: 333 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451-1139 (781) 890-3700 The Bay State REALTOR ® magazine is published bi-monthly (Jan./Feb., March/April, May/June, July/August, Sept./Oct., Nov./Dec.), as a member service. Subscriptions are $2.50 per year for members and are paid out of member dues. Non-member subscription rate is $40 per year. The comments and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, or policies of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors ® . Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Periodical postage paid at Boston, MA.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Massachusetts Association of Realtors ® 333 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451-1139