Don?t let foul odors turn your sale sour

NEW OLEAR BANNERYou?ve had your eye on a particular house for ages, and suddenly you see a for sale sign on the front lawn. All is good in the world … until you step inside and are unpleasantly blindsided by foul odors that can turn a sweet sale sour in the blink of an eye.

The causes can be numerous: a poorly trained pooch or kitty, sweaty sports equipment, foul foods, garbage that should have been taken to the curb days ago or even a stinky sink. Some fixes are easy, while others might take some time and effort to repair.

If you?re the seller in this case, before you put your home on the market, ask a friend or relative to stop by and conduct a smell test. Have them walk through the entire house to see if they get a whiff of anything on the unpleasant side. And if that?s the case, take measures to eliminate the cause asap. It could very well be a simple fix such as opening the windows to air out the house or taking out the garbage a day or two ahead of schedule.

Pet odors can be a little more difficult. There are sprays on the market that could help, but you may be better off replacing or removing a soiled rug or carpet if your pet has had multiple accidents.

The same goes for the buyer. If you notice something in the air that?s just not right, be sure to discuss it with your Realtor who has likely dealt with similar experiences on more than one occasion. WIth any luck, the fix will be quick and painless and will not foul up a potential sale.

For more information on preparing your home prior to the sale, please contact The Olear Team today!