While I have walked into thousands of houses during my seven years as a Realtor and only three things make me want to immediately turn around and leave a property.
- A scary looking dog in the front yard.
- A house with no air conditioning on a 100 degree day.
- A bad smell inside.
Typically there are two smells easily recognizable: smoke and pets. If you list your house, go outside to smoke. Make an effort to get rid of the existing smell as well. Paint, wash the curtains, shampoo the carpet, mop floors, wash blankets and bedspreads. And – again – go outside to smoke. Also remember to empty the outdoor ashtrays before showings because… gross!
Pet smells are a little more difficult to deal with, but thoroughly cleaning the house – and we’re talking DEEP CLEANING – is a good first step. Like cigarette smoke, you may need to wash curtains, bedspreads, and other fabrics or surfaces that hold smell. Once the house has been deep cleaned, vacuum every night AND be sure to give your dogs regular baths so if they have to be inside, their odor won’t be as strong.
Change the kitty litter often. And by often, do it EVERY DAY… we’re talking the scooping kind of litter. The odor of what cats leave behind in their sandboxes is just disgusting.
Walking into a house with a bad smell is a huge turn off for buyers. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it’s not that bad because if YOU smell it, it will be ten times worse for the buyer.
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