The Topic Realtors Won’t Touch Because It Is Too Sensitive

How do you tell a colleague that they have bad breath, body odor, too much perfume/cologne or moth-balled clothing?  Usually, you don’t and hope that someone else will.  But maybe if the time and place is just right (and you’ve rehearsed a few times in your head), you might just say something to this colleague in a kind and caring way.  

What about offensive smells and odors in a house?  Now that is the topic most (but not all) Realtors won’t touch. 

A fellow real estate professional raised this topic with me after reading my recent “clean freak” post.  She shared some important insights about smells and odors.  In keeping with the title of this blog, our conversation about smells and odors is “to be continued” today.

My real estate professional friend believes that “if it really smells, it never sells!”  She also said that it is “the biggest turn-off I encounter.”

“Here is what happens:  I walk into a cute house and start imaging how my family would live in this house.  I open the door or enter a bedroom with 'the scent'.  All emotional connection I feel with the house is immediately finished.  I can't get out of the house fast enough.  All I can think is this house is dirty - gotta go.”

My friend categorized offensive and unacceptable smells and odors by problem area:

BEDROOMS – “Used bedding is one problem and the smell issue becomes magnified if teenagers are in the house with hormones gone wild.”

PETS – “If you have pets and carpeting, you have pet odor.”

SMOKE – “Don't even go there with me. Buyers won't either. It permeates paint and all furniture.  Get a professional to help.”

KITCHENS- “People who tend to eat or cook any ethnic food often tend to have a scent in their home that is different from the local area.  You know how you walk into a greasy joint and can smell the grease - same thing.  It just gives the scent of not being cleaned properly.” 

So what are we to do with offensive odors and smells?   “Don’t try to mask with a perfumy scent.  It won’t cover the offensive odors.  It gives the impression you know it is there and you are too lazy to clean it up.”

What the seller needs to do is clean, clean some more and then keep it clean!!  Or better yet, hire a professional cleaning service to do a deep clean and then maintain it. 

One way or the other, the sellers need to make sure the following happen:

·         Wash all bedding from mattress pad to bedspread; down comforter to pillow cases

·         Eliminate dirty clothes pile - wash them all!

·         Shampoo the furniture. Shampoo all carpeting

·         Deep clean the kitchen regularly including the oven, microwave and stove top as well as the counter tops.

·         Air the house out often (weather permitting). Leave the air on to circulate house as well as ceiling fans if you have them.

And what are Realtors to do if the topic of odors and smells is too sensitive to discuss with their sellers?

A few of my Realtor partners have a simple solution – they engage me as the professional home stager and “bad cop” to share the bad news.  I guess you could also copy and share the February 20^th posting ("Everyone is a clean freak") and this one – your sellers might get the hint. 

Regardless of how you do it, you owe it to your sellers to broach this sensitive subject.  They will thank you in the end especially after the house sells.

 

Dwell in possibilities

 

Cindy