Yesterday, I previewed a house that sounded pretty good, if you believe what you read on the MRIS listing. It was a center-hall brick colonial with a pleasant facade on a large corner lot in a great neighborhood. It had a nice virtual tour, although they omitted shots of the kitchen, which usually means it's state-of-the-art-1944. This one actually may have been renovated in the 1950's.
But even with a nasty kitchen, it would have been a decent value but for one thing. There was a lingering smoke smell, even though the place had been vacant for several months - all of the smelly upholstered furniture and drapers were even gone.
Now, I've greatly offended a couple of sellers by suggesting that they declare their home a no smoking area and hire professionals to get the odor out. After all, with all of the local governments saying you can't smoke in any public place, home is about the only place left to light up. They thought I had a lot of nerve! Yikes! One couple just said, "Get out!" without hearing the rest of my brilliant listing presentation.
Just know that if you choose to indulge this nasty habit in a home that is for sale, it's your choice. But it will cost you a bunch of money in the form of a lower sales price - probably in the form of a selling price of 10% lower than a smoke-free place.
Even smokers are offended by smoke smells in other people's houses. Then there are the people who are allergic and will have to leave before they can fully appreciate all of the good things about your home. And any bad odor has a sort of subliminal bad effect on people walking in the door.
Smoke is right up there with really bad kitty litter, stinky garbage cans and dead racoon on the chimney ledge smells.
My advice: While your house is for sale, perhaps you need to find a few other, less smelly, vices in which to indulge, at least inside your house!
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