HomeListingsProfileTestimonialsNeighbourhoodsWatcherâ„¢BlogContact
Joseph Giovinazzo
Sales Representative

Office: (905) 575-9262
Cell: (905) 516-9092

Subscribe to Blog:
Enter your Email Address

View Latest Entries

Search Entries:
Latest Entries:


View By Category:
Announcements (64)
Buy & Sell (5)
Children (1)
Community (2)
Crafts (1)
Economics (1)
Environment (1)
Events (3)
Finance (2)
Fitness (1)
Fun (2)
Gardening (6)
General (5)
Government (1)
Hamilton community (19)
Health (3)
Home & Decor (28)
Home Improvement (53)
Investing (1)
Real Estate (73)
Relationships (1)
Technology (1)

Tags:











My Youtube Videos:





How unpleasant odours can sabotage your sale

Friday, May 9, 2014 @ 9:42 AM
Posted By: Joseph Giovinazzo

Admit it. We've all stepped into someone else's house and thought: "Ugh, what's that smell?" That's not to say that your friend or family member is a terrible housekeeper or negligent homeowner. Maybe they had salmon for dinner last night or something smelly landed in the garbage. It's nothing a few open windows and some air freshener won't be able to remedy. 

Unpleasant home odours DO become a big deal when you're selling your home, however. It's a scenario when you only get one chance to make a good impression. If a prospective buyer walks into your home and is immediately turned off by a strong smell, you can bet they will assume it's a permanent problem. 

Nasty odours rank as one of the top factors in deterring a home sale. Strong smells from pets, tobacco and food scents will greatly reduce your selling opportunity and may even prompt low-ball offers from buyers. Because it's natural for homeowners to adapt to scents around them, it's recommended that you ask an outsider to identify any odours that may discourage prospective purchasers. Your realtor will likely inform you if an unpleasant odour exists. 

The first step to odour elimination is finding the source. Topical solutions and air fresheners are a temporary fix that won't last long. For a long-term solution, it's necessary to eliminate the source. Do not smoke inside a home that is listed for sale, stay on top of litter boxes and refrain from cooking foods that have strong odours. 

Now you can focus on removing the smell permanently. Airing out the room can make a difference, but it's not always enough. Strong oxidizing materials are most effective in neutralizing odour as they break down the bacteria. Areas may need to be treated multiple times to absorb and eliminate odours. These products can be purchased online, in pet stores and in specialty stores or applied by professionals.

In some cases, odours cannot be eliminated and items must be replaced. Removing carpets and cleaning under the surface may be necessary. In cases where long-time smokers have resided in the home and washing the walls is not enough, you will have to repaint the walls. This applies to homes with strong food-based odours as well. Odours and bacteria are also absorbed into furniture and drapery, so they may need to be professionally cleaned or replaced.

Category: Real Estate

(0) Comments    [Add a Comment]


MCS Login |  Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are certification marks that are owned by REALTOR® Canada Inc. and licensed exclusively to The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). These certification marks identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA and who must abide by CREA's By-Laws, Rules, and the REALTOR® Code. The MLS® trademark and the MLS® logo are owned by CREA and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA.

The information contained on this site is based in whole or in part on information that is provided by members of The Canadian Real Estate Association, who are responsible for its accuracy. CREA reproduces and distributes this information as a service for its members and assumes no responsibility for its accuracy.

This website is operated by a brokerage or salesperson who is a member of The Canadian Real Estate Association.

The listing content on this website is protected by copyright and other laws, and is intended solely for the private, non-commercial use by individuals. Any other reproduction, distribution or use of the content, in whole or in part, is specifically forbidden. The prohibited uses include commercial use, "screen scraping", "database scraping", and any other activity intended to collect, store, reorganize or manipulate data on the pages produced by or displayed on this website.