SELLERS ADVICE - SMELL-A-VISION? WHAT PICTURES CAN'T CONVEY!
Boy I wish we had Smell-A-Vision or do I? This is a great post from Paula Hamilton in Texas about odors in homes that sellers are so used to they don't even notice them anymore. Remember when Fido used to stink? He still does! You've just gotten used to it. Your nose 'knows' that odor and blocks it out. But that buyer won't!
I think that on occasion you should 'air out' your home for 10 minutes or so even with the hotter summer months. Think of buyers as the best visitors you can have & give them your best efforts. It always pays off!
SMELL-A-VISION ~ WHAT PICTURES CAN'T CONVEY! This is a follow up to the post I just wrote entitled A Picture Isn't Always Worth a 1,000 Words! So often the minute I open the door to show a home, my nose is the first point of contact! You know what I mean? You walk in and ugh! Pet odors, smoke, strange cooking smells, overuse of cleaning products, extremely STRONG candles or plug-ins, moldy smells, trash and the list goes on.
Yes the pictures and the write up can paint a lovely picture but the true test for me is how it SMELLS or doesn't smell! As an agent, it is imperative that I convey this point to my Seller's. The house MUST be clean and free of offensive odors. And, you cannot simply MASK bad odors with flowery sprays and candles. That only adds to the GAG factor.
Of course there are smells that evoke a sense of well-being and of "home". Freshly baked cookies, clean and fresh scents are always odors that are friends of the olfactory senses. The key is that they are not overwhelming.
When taking a listing, it is important to share this information with your clients. They are used to how their home smells so they cannot possibly be the one to judge this. You as the agent have to broach this subject as delicately yet confidently as possible.
Since Smell-A-Vision has not yet been invented, don't loose a potential sell due to odors! THAT WOULD STINK! ;)
Paula L. Hamilton ~ Broker/Director
Copyright 2010 Paula Hamilton
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