Buyers Turn Their Nose Up At Smelly Houses

bad smells deter home sales

Take a Whiff Before You List

If you are planning to put your home in Granbury on the market, you have most likely looked around for things in your home that need cleaned and repaired.  You have freshened up your landscaping and added color to your curb appeal.  As diligent as you have been in getting your home ready, be sure you did not overlook the smells that linger in your home just from your day to day living.

Odors that buyer’s find most offensive:

    • Pets
    • Litter boxes
    • Strong Air Fresheners/Candles
    • Lingering Smells Of Certain Foods With Strong Spice Odors
    • Mildew/Dampness
    • Tobacco Smoke
    • Garbage Not Removed From The Home
    • Gym Equipment Left Out
    • Dirty Laundry
    • High Efficiency Washers That Begin To Smell

How Can You Eliminate These Odors:

Pets

You should consider having pets kenneled or at the least, removed from the home during showing appointments.  Keeping dogs bathed and carpets cleaned to remove the smell of your furry friends.  Move litterboxes to an exterior area, but if you cannot do that, then change the litter daily.  Consider using a more expensive type of litter and litter box that ensures to control odor from your felines elimination.trong Air Fresheners/Candles

Just do not use them.  Home buyers can tell when a strong scent of these air fresheners is present and assume it is to cover up an offensive odor.  Some people are just very sensitive to perfumes and candles, and will be turned away by these smells.

7 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL CLEAN

Lingering Smells Of Certain Foods

Many ethnic dishes have very strong spice smells.  After many meals being prepared using spices that waif through a home, it begins to seep into the walls and furnishings.  Do a thorough cleaning of carpets, floors and furniture.  Wipe down the walls using a long handled cleaning tool that you can put a cloth dampened with two parts water and one part vinegar.  The smell of the vinegar will leave, and you will be left with a clean, fresh smelling home.  Do not overlook wiping down ceiling fans and blinds with this same water/vinegar solution.Mildew/Dampness

If you suspect an odor of mildew/dampness in your home, ask a friend or neighbor to do a “smell check” for you.  As you live in your home, you may become desensitized to the odor.  If you do find that your home has a “damp smell”, first try and find the source of the dampness.  It could be a leaky faucet under a cabinet, roof leak or a host of other things, including simply a piece of used furniture you brought in.  Place a product such as Damp Rid in each room to absorb any moisture in the air.  Use the above water/vinegar solution and wiping down everything, including walls and ceilings.Tobacco Smoke

bad smells in houseThe best defense, is offense.  Just never smoke in your home, but if you have, stop now and start working to remove the smell left behind.  Cigarettes, ECigs, and Cigars can leave behind a strong odor that only fresh paint and deep cleaning can eliminate.  If you have carpet, cleaning it may not be enough to remove tobacco odors, replacing it may be the only solution.rbage Not Removed From The Home

Take out the days trash every evening.  Clean the trash cans and do not overlook bedrooms, offices and bathroom trash cans. Pour a little bit of baking soda in each can liner when you change it to keep the odors at bay.Gym Equipment Left Out & Dirty Laundry

With people become more and more into fitness, comes more and more sweaty fitness bags, equipment and clothing.  Store your fitness equipment in an out building whenever possible. Be sure to wash gym clothes and bags with vinegar.  The vinegar will remove the musty odor of your hard work at the gym, and freshen the laundry room at the same time.igh Efficiency Washing Machines That Begin To Smell

When HE Washing Machines hit the market, consumers dashed out to buy them.  After a short time of use it was realized that these HE washing machines, specifically the front loaders begin to have a musty smell to them.  This smell can fill not only the laundry room, but seep out to the rest of the home.  People have also found this smell can transfer onto the clean clothes washed in these machines. The remedy is available now on your local grocery store. Washing machine cleaner tablets used monthly will remedy the odor. Another option is to clean the washing machine with a bleach and water mixture, be sure to wipe down all components.

Set, Sniff, Sell

Once you have identified and remedied any offensive odors in your home for sale, you will find that feedback from buyers will be minus the “house showed well, but smelled bad”.  A stinky house, no matter how beautifully staged and advertised, will sit on the market a lot longer without an offer. If you are using a Professional Realtor to market your home, ask their advice on getting your home ready to sell. The Realtor will be able to point out any odors that they find in your home that you may not notice.  Professional Realtors have probably encountered the problem smells listed here, and can offer solutions.            

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