Odors Can Make or Break The Sale of Your Home

It's amazing how important the sense of smell is to many people. If you're selling your home, and this applies across the board to houses, townhouses, condos, apartments, or whatever, you need to be aware of the power of odors. An odor like cigarette smoke can cause potential buyers to leave quickly without ever really considering purchasing your home. On the other hand, an odor like that of bread baking can conjure up all sorts of homey feelings and cause the same potential buyer to linger.

Do You Have "Deal Killer" Odors?

The two most common offenders are cigarettes and pet odors. Sadly, most people who smoke or have pets don't realize this. Often, they don't notice the smells themselves, so they think this isn't a problem. Well, it is. A surprising number of people will have a swift, strong, negative reaction. Would you like to smack every second or third prospective buyer in the face when they come through your door?

Anything cloyingly sweet like "room deodorizers" which really just cover up other scents by overwhelming them is likely to be an offender. The same thing is true of other strong, funky smells. Unwashed gym clothes and shoes, cooking smells from foods such as cabbage, fish or more than a little garlic or curry will probably be offensive to many people.

So is it really necessary to stop smoking (or only smoke outdoors), ban the dog to the garden and basement, wash the laundry, and stop cooking strong smelling foods until your home is sold?

Yes.

Beyond that, it's necessary to "clean up your act" if you're really desirous of selling your home. You've probably cleaned it up visually already, but what to do about lingering odors? Anything made of cloth holds odors for a long time. Carpets, upholstery, curtains and draperies, table skirts and the like will smell for months or forever. What on earth do you do about them?

If it's bad enough, carpets need to be replaced and upholstered furniture put into storage. However, it's often adequate to shampoo carpets and the upholstery in the most intense areas (your favorite smoking chair and the pieces nearby) and launder the curtains. Keep fans going while things are drying; you don't want to end up with mold and mildew smells. Your goal is to clean up the cause of the smell, not to cover it up.

Attractive Odors Attract

Odors people find attractive are very personal, but there are general smells that are pleasant and cause good emotional responses in most people. We've already mentioned baking bread. Almost anything that smells sweet when tends to be in this category ? cookies, apple pie, cinnamon buns, etc. Of course, it's not practical to bake the whole time your house is on the market, but one thing each week-end might be possible.

In cool weather, apple cider simmering with a cinnamon stick or two and a few cloves has much the same effect and is definitely easier to do. A vase or two of flowers with mildly scented flowers is another possibility.

Of the two, cleaning out offending scents is much more important than adding pleasant ones. If you can successfully do both, you're way ahead of much of your competition and it will help your home sell faster.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing homes for sale by owner, "FSBO", properties. Are you thinking, "Should I sell my home?" Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your home sale for free for one month.

---

Home Equity or Debt Trap?

Are you using the equity from your home to purchase... Read More

How To Give Your Home A Face-Lift: The Sellers Guide To A Quick Sell

One of the great challenges to selling a home can... Read More

Buying a Home ? Dealing With Lender Letters

Most people who set out to buy a home, be... Read More

10 Tips for Investing in Distressed or Foreclosed Properties

1. Search on the world wide web for distressed or... Read More

A Real Estate Primer

There are a great many books and web sites devoted... Read More

Appraisal or Home Inspection?

People sometimes confuse a home inspection and an appraisal when... Read More

Real Estate Bubble: Sophisticated Musical Chairs?

The real estate bubble is a hot topic today; annual... Read More

The Perils of the Property Ladder: Has Anyone Noticed the Silence?

There was a time when every conversation was focussed on... Read More

Closing Costs When Buying A Home

Closing costs are often the last thing a person thinks... Read More

Tidy Up The Outside, Reap The Rewards

There isn't a realtor in existence who wouldn't tell you... Read More

Cheap, Bargain, Real Estate; Good Deals, Below Market, Low Priced Properties Are Available...

Cheap, Bargain, Real Estate; Good Deals, Below Market, Low Priced... Read More

The Real Estate Bubble Fallacy

There has been a lot of talk lately about the... Read More

10 Tips to Sell Your House Faster!

Here are some Handy wee Tips to help you Sell... Read More

How to Buy a Property in Bulgaria

The CostAlthough the property prices in Bulgaria are quite low... Read More

Real Estate Investing Deals That SkyRocket Your Net Worth 10-Fold

Consider these parameters for a real estate deal:Property Value: $250,000... Read More

Property Investing ? Port Melbourne Life on the Edge

Property investing prices pick up following a cooler winter last... Read More

Selling Your Own Home: 10 More Tips

Selling your own home can be a time-consuming and frustrating... Read More

Expenses of Home Ownership

Hopefully all goes smoothly when you purchase your home. In... Read More

Want To Be Profitable In This Real Estate Bubble? I?ll Show You How In Just Three Easy Steps

STEP#1. First you have to recognize that in order to... Read More

Residential Property Abroad

It is increasingly common for individuals to own more than... Read More

Buying A Home ? Rain, Sun, and Weather Issues

When buying a home, it can be easy to overlook... Read More

When is the Best Time to Move?

As Realtors, we are often asked, "When is the best... Read More

How to Make the Real Estate Market Work For You and Get The Most Money

How to make the Real Estate market work for you... Read More

Seller Financing - Six Safety Tips

Why offer seller financing when you sell? A higher price,... Read More

What is Tax-Deferred Exchange?

Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, owners of... Read More

Subdividing - But NOT Land!

Many people are familiar with the concept of sub-dividing a... Read More

Real Estate Value: Knowing yours is Key to Mortgage Success

The value of the real estate you own, whether it... Read More

U.S. Real Estate Sought By Foreign Investors Due to a Weaker Dollar

The weak US dollar has been good news for real... Read More

What Is Home Staging And How Does It Help To Sell My House

Home staging is the concept of preparing a house for... Read More

The Value of Building Home Equity

There are numerous advantages to owning a home. One of... Read More

Probate & Obituary Marketing

I start my marketing with obituaries followed with probate filings... Read More

Listing Real Estate Online - Top Tactics for Boosting Sales

Listing real estate online can be a great way to... Read More

Dont Forget to Ask About Restrictive Covenants

Homebuyers, especially first-timers, may not think of asking about restrictive... Read More