Don't Let Cigarette Odors Cause Your Home Sale to Go up in Smoke

If you smoke cigarettes in your home, the odors this habit leaves behind could cause your home sale to go up in smoke. Thankfully, there are three cleaning tips that can help alleviate this issue.

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If you’re a cigarette smoker, you may have become smell-blind to the odors this habit can leave behind in your home. This can pose a big problem when it comes time to sell because non-smoking buyers are sure to notice this residual aroma.

To make sure cigarette odors don’t cause your home sale to go up in smoke, there are three key tips you should follow when you list:

1. Have a full professional cleaning of your heating and cooling system. Cigarette smoke will get trapped in your home’s HVAC unit itself, so simply changing out the air filter won’t be enough if you hope to rid your house of odors. Having a professional clean the ductwork, and the unit itself, will be your ticket to fresh-smelling air.
2. Seal and repaint your walls and ceilings. Your homes walls and ceilings can trap unpleasant-smelling nicotine particles, and painting alone won’t be enough to undo this effect. Instead, seal your walls first with a primer (like Kilz) and then add your fresh coat of paint after that.
3. Launder or steam-clean cloth items, carpet, and furniture in your home. Your drapes, chairs, couches, carpet, and more will all absorb the smell of cigarette smoke over time. Giving each of these items a thorough, professional cleaning will give a huge boost to your home’s overall freshness. 

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Trapped odors from cigarette smoke can pose a big problem when it comes time to sell, because non-smoking buyers are sure to notice this residual aroma.

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As a bonus tip: Wipe down flat surfaces, knick-knacks, and light bulbs in your home. You may be surprised to learn that these items can contribute to how your home smells, but the difference that cleaning these things can make will speak for itself.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Real Estate Career Path Is Right for You?

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What kind of agent are you? (click here to find out!)

If you're considering a career in real estate, you're probably wondering whether you should become a listing agent or a buyer's agent. The answer to that question is complicated; it depends on your personality type and the opportunities available to you.

Listing agents have to be responsible for locating homeowners who are thinking about selling by prospecting FSBOs, expireds, sending postcards, and doing advertising. After this is done, listing agents then need to prepare a CMA, do all the paperwork, and get the seller to agree to list with them through a listing presentation. Then, the agent has to spend 3-6 months helping that homeowner through the process - holding their hand, giving them advice, helping them with advertising and promotion, and then negotiating the sale through closing.

A buyer's agent, on the other hand, may also need to prospect listings by doing door knocks or cold calls. They will often get leads from the broker or their sphere of influence. Once they have a buyer, they meet with that buyer, do research on properties for that buyer, do showings, and follow up. Then, it's the buyer's agent's duty to write up a contract, negotiate the contract, go through all the inspections, and ensure there is a smooth closing.

Generally speaking, the personality traits of a listing agent are:
- They are a 'take charge' person
- They are empathetic, but decisive and knowledgeable
- Make homeowners feel comfortable by being confident

Traits of a buyer's agent are:
- A people person
- A very good listener
- Adaptable and flexible

Which one is right for you? It depends on your personality! If you're interested in further reading, check out this incredible write up by Bernice Ross. In it, she summarizes Mike Ferry's thoughts on the differences between buyer's agents and listing specialists.

If you would like to further explore what type of agent you want to be, don't hesitate to reach out to us! We want to help you get your career off to a quick start!