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Staging a smoker's home

By Diana Robertson

Home Stager with Staged to Sell

January 14, 2008 01:45 AM

I have a client whose husband is a smoker . He smokes inside the home and I'm having trouble convincing her to have him stop smoking in the house. I have already told her how buyers don't like the smell of smoke, and with all the competition out there now, that she has to do everything she can to help her house sell. She claims he just won't stop. I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for helping me convince her, or even him (he's never available to meet with me though) to stop the smoking in the home. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this is a difficult home to sell as is. Thanks!

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Diana Robertson

Staged to Sell - Waukesha, WI

The house is difficult to sell because of the state of cleanliness, and the state of the furniture/accessories. The house is quite dated and the seller does not want to invest in my services to stage it. I did a written consultation for her and she has completed about 60% of the work herself. She has yet to really clean it (although it was painted and the carpets were cleaned), and there is a large amount of dog waste littering the back patio. I have been very complimentary on her progress and tried to gently push her to continue her hard work, but I haven't gotten anywhere with the smoking issue or the cleanliness issue. She claims they have to sell because of money problems, but I haven't talked with the husband so I don't know if he is on board with selling or not.

Jan 14, 2008 02:27 AM

Wendy Bibeau

Keller Williams Realty DTC - Aurora, CO

The Bibeau Group - Realtor - Denver Colorado Real

Just wondering from others that have tried it if incense, febreze, etc really work? We have a similar situation.

Jan 14, 2008 02:27 AM

Tracy Jasper

Freedom Financial Group - Denver, CO

Diana- After reading your description of the home, it sounds like the owner being a smoker is the least of your worries.

Wendy- yes, they do work. Make sure to open windows for a few minutes BEFORE freshening the air. (seems to work better for some reason)

Jan 14, 2008 02:36 AM

Jeff Thompson

Thompsons Home Inspections - Palmdale, CA

Diana Honestly maybe you should put this house on the back burner and look for more willing sellers or buyers. I feel for the hard working wife and with the state the house is in now, I don't think your going to make any real lead way as long as the husband refuses to assist in selling the house. I feel that with the money problems they are having, the husband feels that the world is against him and that's why hes acting like he is ( angered and helpless or feels that he can nolonger support himself and his family). They have to be an older couple. Even if they do end up selling their house they will still have problems again later and the fear of having to move or start over is a lot for him to take in. So I see the smoking as a cover hiding the real problem.

Jan 14, 2008 03:05 AM

Kristina Leone

Lionheart Home Staging, LLC - Minneapolis, MN

People understand money. I would put in in terms of dollars. "If your house has a smoky smell, you will have to reduce your house by $50,000 to get any offers. A smoky odor (or any bad odor for that matter) is very offensive to buyers." etc. etc.

Good luck to you!

Jan 14, 2008 04:24 AM

Eric Kodner

Wayzata Lakes Realty: Eric Kodner Sells Twin Cities Homes - Minnetonka, MN

Wayzata Lakes Realty: Twin Cities, Madeline Island

I agree with the comments that suggest linking the issue to money.

I would ask her (and have her relay the comment to her husband) "how will you react to low-ball offers that are the result of a refusal to deal with this issue?"

It sounds like they don't have the emotional energy to do anything but an "as-is" sale. I don't envy you in this situation. Some sellers just require more counseling than others.

Jan 14, 2008 04:32 AM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

This is never an easy issue to deal with. I agree with others here who said that putting it in straightforward money terms is best. Be matter of fact, without emotion, and just tell them their offers (if they receive any) will be much lower due to the smoke smell. You can't "cover up" smoke smell with things like incense, however! The house would need regular airings even if he agreed to step outside to smoke in the future. A product called Pure Ayre is quite good since it's enzyme-based and removes odors rather than covers them up (it's also safe to use around pets and humans). Good luck!

Jan 14, 2008 04:44 AM

Paula Springer

Key Elements Inc. Home Staging & Interiors - Portland, OR

A.S.P.

Some good ideas here...the most effective air cleaning system for smoke I have found is the EcoQuest product that has a setting called sanitize creates OZone in the house and should be used according to guidelines. I think running an EcoQuest filter on regular setting daily, with the Sanitize setting frequently combined with enzyme-based Pure Ayre could make a dent in cleaning the air no matter how successful you are with the other arguments. Good Luck!

Jan 14, 2008 05:18 AM

Diana Robertson

Staged to Sell - Waukesha, WI

Thanks for all the tips-I will definitely use them! I hadn't heard of Pure Ayre, we'll have to try that. I will also try to arrange a meeting with the husband and use the low-ball offer scenario on him, hopefully that will work.

Jan 14, 2008 06:00 AM

Ann Krewson

A.L.I. Designs, Inc. - Houston, TX

A.L.I. Designs; Staging Houston Homes; Allied Member of A.S.I.D.

Diana,

Ther is a product on the market called a lamp bergere. You can buy all kinds of containers and all kinds of liquid smells to put in it. A friend of mine said she can smoke a cigarette and then light the lamp and within minutes you can not smell the smoke. It really works because I have been to her house and you can not tell she smokes. You also will probably have to have the painted and the carpet replaced.

Jan 14, 2008 06:28 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Diana, my wife has a line she tells home owners that just don't want to go with her suggestions, especially about odors. She tells them that "This is your home and you certainly have the freedom to do what ever you want in it, however you are trying to sell your home and if you cannot find a way to follow my recommendations you may be the only one to own it." This seems to have an impact with most of her stubborn clients.

Jan 14, 2008 06:47 AM

Fernando Rosado

West Palm Beach, FL

561-906-0050 or 561-840-8950

As Barb Shwarz, creator of the homestaging concept would say

"If you Can Smell it.....You Can't Sell It !!! "

obviously he doesnt want to sell, all he had to do is to just step outside for every cigaratte break !

also...theres a little thing they sell in fun shops, its like a little stick, 1/2 inch long you put it in the cigarattes and when you light the cigaratte it explodes !!!! after 3 explosions , he might just quit for good!!

Jan 14, 2008 07:37 AM

Sandra Hughes

Redesigned Spaces - Northern Virginia - Fairfax, VA

Redesigned Spaces - Fairfax County, Virginia

Diana, sounds like you got a lot of good suggestions. I would recommend the air purifer for sure. At the end of the day all you can do is give your professional advice and make recommendations but it is up the sellers IF they choose to do it.

Jan 14, 2008 07:48 AM

Julianna Hind

eXp Realty - Tacoma, WA

REALTOR, 206-679-4768, Tacoma Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, WA

Yes, you got a lot of good suggestions how to get the place smelling better. Maybe he can sit on the back porch or by an open window? I am sensitive to the smell -- I dont like it at all. I redesigned for a client that told us we couldnt move a certain chair (which was near a window) for the redesign, we were fine with that and worked it into the redesign -- after we were done and the oohs and ahhs had been said, her husband sat in the chair, opened the window and had a ciggarette. I was amazed I had no clue that was the reason the chair couldnt be moved, I just thought he liked to work on his laptop there. Good luck -- it would be awesome if smoking breaks were outside -- I won't leave rental items in a home where people were smoking inside!

Jan 14, 2008 12:05 PM

Sheri Davis

Transformations Home Staging and Redesign - Caldwell, ID

HSR, ASHSR

Diana,

Well it sounds like you've got lots of good ideas for products, etc. if the owners are willing to go with any of them -- but it does sound like you're meeting with a good deal of resistance from him at least. The bottom line is you can only do so much as a stager - you can offer advice, suggestions, and your work etc. but ultimately you get to a point where it is not your responsibility and you have to let it go. You can only do so much and then it's out of your hands. Then don't take it personally if the house sits on the market -you tried your best and did your job!

Thanks to all for the smoker home tips though - I'll put those in my home staging arsenal!

Jan 14, 2008 01:53 PM

Cari Pilon

RE:STYLE Home Staging - Brighton, MI

RE:STYLE Home Staging

Don't forget that artificial fragrances are red flags to buyers that the seller is trying to cover something up. They will try even harder to figure out what that is. I think air purifiers are effective in minimizing the odor. Jeff had good advice when he reccommended painting, if they are unable to replace the furnishings due to costs, try to have them at least launder the fabrics, curtins etc.

Good luck with this one!

Jan 14, 2008 03:45 PM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

Diana,

There is a company call "Service Magic" that can get any odor out of a home. Check the internet or yellow pages, for companies like this. They sometimes can be found under carpet cleaning companies.

Jan 14, 2008 03:48 PM

Becca Briggs

Rochester, NY

Diane,

I learn several good tips to put in my file - thanks for the great blog. I just had to comment that I grew up in La Crosse, WI. and well maybe it's just to cold to smoke outside!!! LOL

Jan 14, 2008 04:07 PM

Diana Robertson

Staged to Sell - Waukesha, WI

Yes it is very cold outside, but there is always the garage!

Jan 15, 2008 12:34 AM

Erby Crofutt

B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY

The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

My sister-in-law had her house skunked. Perhaps in the crawl space. Perhaps from outside. I don't know.

BUT, she went to an equipment rental company, rented two ozone machines, (fairly cheaply) and set them up in the house for two days straight. Skunk smell completely gone.

She had to leave the house for the ozone machines to operate (they were heavy duty things generating enough ozone to harm health if the house was occupied) but then she would have anyway just for the skunk smell.

The actual machines were only about the size of a Personal Computer tower.

Don't know if it'd get rid of smoke, but if it can do skunk, ????

Happened to her two years in a row in mid February.

Did the same thing second time. Same results.

Can't hurt to try it.

Jan 15, 2008 02:32 AM