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The following is an article I wrote to help people selling their homes. I have written articles for the local Realtor Guide and this is one I haven't got around to submitting yet. If you are selling your home, or know someone who is, you can share some of these tips with them (if needed!!). I put on my "Staging cap" for this one...There are many ways that a home can be a reflection of you beyond just color and décor. Every home has its own unique scent. Have you ever wondered what your house smells like?
The most important time to consider that question is when you are about to list your home for sale. Nothing leaves a more lasting impression in a buyer’s mind, or in this case nose, than that first whiff they take as they enter someone else’s home. Now, if you know your home is not plagued by any unsavory scents, relax. However, to be on the safe side, consider my top ten list of bad smells to address before you have that first viewing if your home.
1. Pet odours- Yes, our beloved furry or feathered friends are often guilty of emitting unpleasant smells that we, as their adoring owners, may be oblivious to. Pet odours can cling to bedding, furniture and carpeting and therefore you need to take a long, hard sniff of those areas and to be safe give them a good vacuuming and/or cleaning to help eliminate any unwelcome reminders that “a pet lives here.” Even other pet lovers can find these odours offensive as they are not coming from their pet.
2. Cigarette/ tobacco smoke- The average non-smoker can smell a cigarette a mile away. Even if you only smoke “in the back of the basement or “only inside if we’re having a party”, these smells will linger long after you’ve emptied the ashtray. In fact, smoke permeates all fabric and will alienate many buyers who want to purchase a home that has not been smoked in. Consider smoking only outside and investing in or borrowing a good quality clean-air machine to rid your home of the scent of tobacco. It only has to be while you have your home on the market. Once you sell, you can do as you like in your new home! Who knows, you might just like the fresh air scent your home will have and continue to keep up the practice (at least until winter comes).
3. Food odours- The top offenders in this category are fish, onions and garlic, burnt food, bacon (which always smells good until after you’ve eaten it), and basically any other food that does not smell like freshly baked bread or apple pie. A good rule of thumb is to not cook anything before a showing and to try to schedule your showings outside of mealtime hours.
4. Dampness/moisture- We all know this smell! Often it hits us when we open the basement door in an older home or a home without adequate ventilation. This one is a real stinker!! The smell of damp is a huge red flag to potential buyers, often one that results in one or more of the buyers declaring, “No, this is not the house for me.” Some buyers will actually write the home off their list immediately, equating the smell with water problems, mould and a host of other problems, real or imagined. Sometimes, simply running a dehumidifier will alleviate much of the smell. A more lasting solution, and one which will add real value to your home, is to install an air exchanger. Of course, if you do have moisture and/or mildew problems, address the issue. Undoubtedly, it will be detected during the home inspection. It is preferable to deal with dampness issues before you list your home. It is what it is and no amount of disguising the smell with scented products will work. Deal with the problem and move on (and out!!).
5. Scented products- Do you love your mocha-vanilla -tangerine “plug-in” that you have in every room? Well, surprise, not everyone will. Scents are very personal and it is best for your home to just smell clean and fresh because it is clean and fresh. What may be your favorite smell may not be a prospective homebuyer’s. Err on the side of caution. Also, potential buyers may think you are covering something up if you use these products.
6. Cleaning products- Do use these to get your home clean, just don’t overdo it. Scents like bleach, pine, and ammonia can overwhelm the buyer and linger in his/her memory. Let the lasting impression of your home be its appearance, not smell.
7. Bathroom Smells- Clean your bathrooms before every showing, empty diaper pails, put out fresh towels, flush the toilet and wash any lingering laundry. Enough said…
8. Garbage/compost smells- Empty all garbage cans, mini-green bins, and in the warmer months, move that large stinker of a green bin to the back of your property.
9. Carpet odours- If your carpet and/or mats smell less than fresh, consider having them cleaned. Not only will they look and smell better, it will be one less thing to do before you move out. The new owners will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will tell your former neighbours how immaculate you are!
10. Vacuum bags- What is one of the last things a homeowner often does before leaving their home for a showing? Vacuum the rugs!! Many people never even consider their vacuum as a source of olfactory insult! Often, vacuums give off stale, lasting odours which will immediately be noticed by the potential buyer. Your carpets may look good, but at the price of fouling up the air! Change your vacuum bag often and this smell can totally be prevented.
As you now see, bad smells can happen to good people (or houses). In real-estate, when a potential buyer views several homes, each property is often given a label by the buyer to help him/her remember the home. Sometimes it is the “great view” house, the “small kitchen”, or the “beautiful pool” house. Take note of how your home smells and you can prevent your home getting the reputation of the “fish/cigarette smoke/damp/ wet dog/smelly sock” house. If it smells, it might not sell!!
