Buyers -- Be Nosy!
Buying A Home
If there is one thing that really gets to me when I am showing properties to a buyer, it is the smell of animals in a house. Now, I know most of America is pet-friendly and pet-loving, including myself, but come on....cat litter box smell?? Aquarium algae smell?? Dog urine smell?? Hamster cage smell?? All of these smells are offensive and definite turn-offs to buyers. I don't care if the buyer has a pet, they don't want to smell someone else's, especially in a house they are considering to buy!
So, buyers keep your noses turned on when going through a house. Sometimes you don't have to try, as the smell greets you at the front door. But for those ever so subtle smells, or those that are almost covered by the Plug-In freshener, still beware. Both carpet and hardwood floors can capture these smells and hold them for decades. Cat and dog urine are notorious for remaining in these materials for a lifetime.
Other smells that can be offensive and can definitely smell like trouble are musty wet basements, musty, old attics, and garages. Garbage cans in garages can make people run down the driveway just to get out! Musty, damp smells can mean mold is brewing, not necessarily killer mold, but mold, nonetheless. Carpet in basements is also notorious for capturing the smell of wetness and can make a great showing turn into a disaster once the buyer walks down the basement stairs. I once showed a house to a buyer and when we got to the basement there were actually mushrooms growing on the walls! Now, you did not need to depend on your nose for that one, but can you imagine the look on my buyer's face?
Food odors are something a little different as there are just some homes that retain smells more than others, especially those with cooks vs. those without cooks! Food odors can be trapped in a home, especially in the winter, but may not necessarily spell (or smell) trouble. But what I would suggest to a buyer is to check out the cleanliness of the kitchen overall. A nasty oven coupled with a dirty stovetop can indicate some kind of issue.
So, my rule of thumb for buyers is whenever there is even the slightest smell that does not quite pass the "OK" sniff test, investigate and question. Although the dog or cat may not be sitting right at your feet and there are no signs of them anywhere in the house, that does not mean the smell is not legitimate. They may have moved the pet to someone else's house for the duration of the listing, probably by suggestion of their listing agent! If the Glade plug-ins are a bit overwhelming as you pass through rooms, you might want to make a note of it. And always take heed when going in a basement if you are greeted by a damp, musty odor or, perhaps, your shoes make squishing sounds as you walk on the carpet, or you actually see organic substances growing on the walls!
Buyers-be NOSY!
Date: Sunday, January, 11th 2009 @ 09:15:57 PMViews: 237
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