DoorFly.com: Smoke Stinks – Home Buyer Deal Breakers

Trying to sell your home? What are home buyers looking for? What home selling advice should I know?

According to this report by PR NewsWire:

When the real estate market is competitive, a home with a pungent odor such as cigarettes can make or break the deal. According to a 2008 Home Features Survey done by Zip Realty, 76% of respondents say that bad odors, such as cigarette smoke, would sway their decision against purchasing a home…

The stale, lingering odor of cigarette smoke seeps into and sticks on furniture, carpets, walls, curtains and just about every surface it comes in contact with. Household cleaners alone won’t get the job done, therefore professionals need to be hired to deep clean the stubborn odors and remove stains. Smokers incur extra costs when selling a house that non-smokers do not. Homes may require new paint and professional carpet and drapery cleaning. For an average sized home this could run a homeowner approximately $3,000 in additional expenses.

Think smoking outside is the answer? “It is not,” says Kim Berfield, Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Health. “Smoking outside helps reduce tobacco odor, but does not eliminate it. Clothes absorb the smell, dragging it back into the home and undoubtedly finding its way to closets and drawers. Quitting smoking is the only way to completely rid a home of the smell.”

…Smoking inside the home puts others at an increased risk for respiratory illness, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease.”

So, if you are living in a home you may plan to sell one day, quit smoking. Not just to sell your home and save money, but to save your health too!

Other home buyer deal breakers.
According to experts: BATHROOMS! Check out this bathroom upgrade by HGTV to help these home owners get ready for sale. Bathrooms Sell Homes.