Every realtor dreads the possibility-- but those who know what helps sell a home will have no qualms in advising their seller that what offends the nose will very likely offend the potential buyer. When it comes to selling your house, odors in the home are no laughing matter as they can seriously diminish the pool of potential buyers.

With all the emphasis on changing the visual appearance of the home through staging and other de-cluttering methods, many homeowners do not realize the negative impact odors in the home have with potential buyers. Very often they are accustomed to the lingering smell of tobacco since they have been smoking for many years or are not aware that their home might smell like their household pets. If the realtor doesn't address the issue, a homeowner should ask a third party to let them know if there is any perceptible odor in the home. While any number of jokes can be made about this important problem, a homeowner will need to know what the major offenders usually are.

According to Realtor online magazine, sales associates polled informally by the online magazine a few years ago said the lingering presence of pets, tobacco, mildew, and decay in the air are major deal-breakers.

Given that not everyone smells the same odors and that people can become accustomed to a particular smell over time, it is important for property sellers to have their realtor or another objective party inform them about unpleasant scents in their homes. As long as the realtor approaches the issue with tact or light humor, a seller should try not to take offense when the issue is addressed.

According to the article, "the smell of cat urine is especially difficult to remove, with Chris Coffin of the Alexandria, Va.-based branch of the cleaning company ServiceMaster estimating that spot-cleaning carpets and replacing the carpet pad would cost home buyers upwards of $400; removing and replacing saturated floors would cost much more. Coffin adds that it often takes three cleanings to remove nicotine odors from walls, and some cases involve the replacement of insulation."

A better solution for sellers, is to make sure a thorough cleaning of the house is completed before showing the property. Be sure to clean drapes, sheets, and pet bedding as well as to air out the house often. Making sure your house passes the sniff test will assist you in getting a lot more interested buyers in viewing your home and selling your home a lot faster.

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