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Whether it's a black cat perched beside a cauldron or a loyal dog roaming a haunted neighborhood, pets have always been part of Halloween's charm. Pop culture has introduced us to iconic companions like Salem from “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and the unforgettable pup Sparky from “Frankenweenie,” reminding us that even the spookiest stories need a faithful friend. While these iconic Halloween sidekicks may be fictional, the bond between people and their pets is very real. For many recent home buyers, pets are more than companions; they're family members whose needs can help shape important decisions during the home search.

Cats may be known for keeping witches company, but pets of all kinds have become cherished members of American households. According to the American Pet Products Association, 95 million U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2025. It’s no surprise, then, that these companions influence everything from daily routines to major financial decisions, including where to live. And while 76% of all home buyers in 2025 had no children under the age of 18 living at home, pets are playing an even more central role in many home buyers’ lives and housing choices.

One reason pets play such an important role is how much time owners spend with them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey, Americans are spending more time with their pets than ever before. In 2025, 19.5% of Americans spent time with a pet on a given day, up from 13.7% in 2005. Among women, that share rose from 15.8% in 2005 to 23% over the same two decades. Americans spent an average of 0.74 hours with their pets in 2025, a 15% increase from 2005. As pets take on an increasingly important role in our lives, households are investing more in their care and well-being.

As the days grow shorter and the spooky season settles in, it’s worth taking a step back to get a sense of the typical buyer and seller’s resolve going into the month of cooler weather and jumpscares around every corner. The housing market continues to face challenges as mortgage rates remain elevated. From January through September 2026, 3.09 million existing homes were sold, up 0.8% from the same period last year. This is down from the 1.6% year-to-date increase reported last month, which shows that the market is still struggling to gain momentum. Inventory, however, reached 1.6 million in September 2026 compared to just over 1.5 million in 2025, suggesting that sellers are a bit more willing to step into the unknown. Over the same period, home prices have risen by 1.3%. With the specter of affordability difficulties still looming over the market, buyers remain sensitive to mortgage rates. Since it typically takes one to three months for changes in mortgage rates to show up in closed sales, we may not see the full effect right away. Still, buyers have more homes to choose from, and for some, the longing looks their pets make when they see a full backyard may be enough to prioritize a home purchase.

Just like Salem and Sparky were beloved companions in their tales, many pets play an important role in their owners’ lives. According to the 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Report, 1% of recent home buyers shared their primary reason for purchasing a home was to provide a better home for their pets. Among these pet-focused buyers, more than half (52%) were married couples, 27% were single females, and 14% were unmarried couples. These buyers also tended to be older: Of those who said their primary reason for purchasing their home was to give their pet a better home, 37% are younger boomers (61 to 70 years old) and 24% are Gen Xers (46 to 60 years old). As children leave the nest and lifestyles evolve, many of these buyers may prioritize the comfort and well-being of their four-legged family members, suggesting that when it comes to finding the perfect home, pets can be just as influential as any human housemate for some buyers.

Our pets may not sign the mortgage paperwork, but they have a surprisingly significant influence on the neighborhoods buyers ultimately choose. According to the 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 16% of recent buyers said that proximity to veterinary services and access to outdoor space for their pets were important considerations when selecting a neighborhood. Married repeat buyers (60%) and first-time single female buyers (28%) were especially likely to prioritize these pet-friendly features. For many households, choosing the right neighborhood means finding a community that works for every family member, including the four-legged ones.

Beyond access to veterinary care and outdoor space, pet-minded buyers often looked for neighborhood amenities that make daily life more enjoyable for both owners and their companions. Buyers who considered their pets when selecting a neighborhood were more likely to prioritize nearby parks and recreation facilities (35% compared to 29% of those who did not consider pets), walkability (31% compared to 19%), and the availability of larger lots or acreage (26% compared to 16%). Whether it's a haunted hike through the neighborhood, a game of fetch in a nearby park, or a backyard large enough for a spirited round of zoomies, these features can be just as appealing to pets as they are to their owners.

As Halloween falls upon us and neighborhood porches fill with jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, ghosts, and the occasional black cat decoration, pets clearly occupy a special place in the homes and hearts of many Americans. From influencing where buyers choose to live to motivating the search for a larger yard, a nearby park, or easier access to veterinary care, pets are helping shape housing decisions. The steadfast appeal of characters like Salem and Sparky reflects something that extends far beyond spooky stories and Halloween traditions: the deep bond between people and their animal companions. As Americans continue to spend more time, attention, and resources on their pets, it's no surprise that these beloved family members are becoming an important consideration in the homebuying process.