One of the biggest mistakes sellers make
I always hate to mention this when counseling a seller, but I must, because this is one of the biggest turnoffs for buyers: it’s “that smell.”
“What’s that smell? Did something die in here? It smells like cabbage or maybe a locker room. Yuck! Let’s get out of here before we catch it.”
After you have been living in your home, many times you cannot tell that there is an odor, but all homes have one. Here is what to do. Explain to your friends that you are getting ready to put your home on the market and that it is imperative to know if your home has offensive odor. Common sources are smoking, pets, mold, mildew, dirt, ethnic cooking, incontinence, food odors and staleness. With a little help from your friends you can identify and find the source of the odors and eliminate them. Making your home smell fresh and clean works wonders. Open all the windows and let the fresh air stir the air and blow through the house. Do not use plug ins or air fresheners. Something like Oust is ok. Oust is an air sanitizer. If it’s really bad you can call someone to bring in an air purifier and leave it there for a few days or years – just kidding.
Empty your cats litter box daily and pick up cow patties daily. What you want is a clean smell or a very light fragrance.
“If you can smell it, you can’t sell it.”
