Smelly Home? Stinky Price!

YUCK! What's that smell???

If you have ever been on the Selling end of a Real Estate transaction and have listened to negative feedback associated with your home, then you know what a personal, emotional roller coaster it can be.

Buyers form quick opinions about each home they view and often their strongest impressions have nothing at all to do with flow, function, visible flaws or decor. 

The way your house SMELLS can make or break a sale, prolong the selling process and greatly affect value. Getting an honest third party opinion (maybe more than one), could save you time and money. 

When we live in our homes, we naturally become "nose blind" to how they smell everyday. Each home, like each person, has a unique aroma that will either inspire or deter a specific Buyer from making an offer. As the most powerful of all 5 senses, smell is crucial to make a positive "smell" impression within moments of a Buyer walking through your door.

Here are a few scent scenarios that may deter a Buyer from putting in an offer:

A non-smoking Buyer entering a smoker's listing: On paper or the internet, this home is exactly what the the Buyer is looking for. Seemingly perfect in every way. How very disappointing, however, that the smell of cigarette smoke wafts around the entrance, forming a negative impression in the Buyer's mind, before they even step foot inside. 

Cigarette odour is almost impossible to mask and is usually most noticeable at the front door, even to a fellow smoker. Combine that with a powerful plug in room freshener, and the Buyer will have sensory overload as their first (negative) impression.

Remedy: The best plan of action if you are a smoker who is thinking of listing (and want to get the highest price for your home), is to invest in a complete home painting project. Start with an odour blocking primer such as Kilz Max available at the Home Depot. This is not an inexpensive project, however, without it your home may sit for months becoming stale in the market, costing you time and money.

By sealing the smell with specialized primer and painting the walls with fresh paint, your home will be a contender for every Buyer who falls in love at first sight (and smell).

* Note: Once the home has been painted, you must avoid smoking indoors and hang smoke scented coats and clothing away from the front entrance, as they are transferred back into the interior air.

Plug-in Room Fresheners: As mentioned above, plug-in room fresheners are powerful scents that many people use in their homes to mask odours. Although they do work to add fragrance to a room,  the quantity is often too powerful for average sized spaces. An offensive first scent impression on the Buyer is not advantageous to your sale, as the Buyer may assume there is something more synister being masked.
Many people are sensitive to chemical room fresheners and aroma, so use these in limited amouts throughout your home.

Remedy: There are many natural, gentle smelling room fresheners on the market. Lamp Berger is a type of scent diffuser that eliminates odour by killing bacteria and viruses in the air that cause smell. Made in France since 1898, the Lamp Berger is a clever alternative to many mass produced room fresheners and comes in many different fragrances, made of essential oils. They are not harmful to health, work quickly in enclosed spaces and are beautiful objects sold in almost every colour. 

One of the simplest and least expensive products for absorbing odour is vinegar. Combine with other ingredients, such as vanilla, lemon and rosemary. Simmer this mixture on the stove for a few hours (it does take longer than a chemical product) and enjoy the fresh scent it provides. Using a vinegar and water solution will not only clean, but freshen your space leaving it neutralized and ready for sale.

Other negative factors to consider: Pet odours, such as dog/cat beds, kitty litter, guinea pig, hampster, bird and bunny cages, garbage, green waste and old stinky sneakers... are ALL items with no business being in an immaculate real estate listing. Make sure your beloved furry or feathered friends don't sabotage your sale. Send them to the"spa" or make sure they are not present for showings.
Keep stinky garbage out of the home and avoid cooking high scent foods like fish, eggs, curry, fenugreek, fried food, etc. while your home is listed for sale.

Now that you've got the smell just right, it's time to make your home a visual show stopper by...reading my other blog posts ;)