Real Estate Matters | Does your property pass the smell test?

Juliet Risdon

Sam Lee is a marketing manager and property consultant at JML Property.  JML was established in 1994 and offers Investment Property & Homes. It specializes in managing properties for owners and investors, and providing attractive and comfortable homes for tenants.

When potential buyers come to evaluate your property, they’re not only looking but, either consciously or unconsciously using their most invocative sense, their sense of smell.

When we live in a property, we tend to get used to the way it smells and don’t always notice when something might smell in a way that puts people off

But any strong or unusual odors will be immediately apparent to a first-time visitor.

So before you show your property, take a sniff or two, or ask a good friend who will tell you the truth to do the smell test for you! 

These are some of the suggestions we have used to de-odorize.

1. Pets.

Dirty litter boxes and old “accident” stains are the obvious culprits here.

Keep Kitty’s litter box scrupulously clean at all times, and consider having your carpet professionally cleaned by someone who is experienced with pet stains.

Don’t forget that many people are allergic to cats, so make sure your furniture and carpet are vacuumed frequently.

Also ensure that any place your pet sleeps has been well cleaned. If possible, think about keeping your pets confined to a certain area of the property while your property is on the market.

If you’re thinking of getting a pet, wait until after you’ve moved.

2. Cooking.

Odors from cooking strong smelling foods such as fish, garlic and onion hang around and permeate the property.

Throwing a few lemon slices in some boiling water or running lemon peel through the garbage disposal can help clear the air.

Remember to take out your kitchen waste as often as possible.

3. Cigarettes.

The smell of smoke easily drops the value of a property.

Smoke gets into the walls, carpets, furniture, and curtains, and it is very difficult to remove.

If you or a family member smokes, stop smoking inside the property as soon as you decide to sell.

Paint the interior, launder curtains and either shampoo the rugs or replace them. If weather permits, keep the windows open to help air out the property.

4. Air conditioning units.

Air conditioning units have filters in which can hold on to odors. Now is a good time to ensure that the filters are properly cleaned and returning clean smelling air in to the room and not stale old smells.

To give your apartment a great smell you can brew coffee, light a lightly scented candle, bake cookies or toast some bread.

Follow the above steps, and your home will not only look good, it will smell great.

A fresh-smelling, odor-free apartment is much more likely to sell at the price you want.

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