Annandale cat hoarders’ home sold

The Annandale house that belong to a cat hoarder and sheltered more than 160 cats has been sold for $283,000, well below the market value of similar homes in the area, but more than the asking price of 280,000.

Realtor Beth Yesford of eVenture Real Estate, based in Reston, said 13 offers were made for house at 7100 Village Drive and all were above the asking price. She says the average home in the area sells for $380,000 to $500,000.

Considering the condition of the house, the owners are likely to totally gut it or tear it down and rebuild. Located next to Gallows Road, the small brick house has three bedrooms and two full baths.

It’s hard to imagine anyone would want to live there without completely redoing it. After the cats were removed by Fairfax County Animal Control last November a professional cleaning service spent days removing all the rugs and furniture and cleaning the walls and floors. But even as recently as a few weeks ago, the smell of cat urine was unbearable.

The owner Eleanor Kaufer moved to her son’s house in Washington state. The number of cats removed from the premises varied from 160 to 180. It’s hard to tell, as some lived outside. For the most part, Kaufer and her roommate took good care of them, although one dead cat was found under her bed.