I will be the first to acknowledge that the headline of this post probably stings a bit at first read. Trust me when I say that it is not meant to be a personal attack on the place you call home. The truth of the matter is, that when you hire me as your real estate broker, I try to be considerate of the fact that I am talking about your HOME, the place where little Susie lost her first tooth and little Johnny first learned to ride a bike, the place that has provided you and your family shelter, and the place that is ground zero to so many great memories.

However; in my world, your home is a tangible asset that I have been hired to extract every last possible penny out of…for your benefit.

The word home is by definition: a familiar or usual setting, the focus of one’s domestic attention, whereas the word HOUSE is defined as: a building that serves as living quarters for one (or a few) families.

So…do you see where I am going here? I can’t sell your home, no one can! It is impossible to sell the focus of your domestic attention, but I can absolutely sell your house, the building that serves as your living quarters.

Now…go back and re-read my headline…I NEVER said they would hate your
“house”, I said they would hate your “home”…So, the question becomes, how can I turn your home into a new buyer’s house?

Over the coming days, I am going to share a couple of tips and tricks that you can do to prepare your house (and yourself) before calling a real estate broker to discuss selling!

What’s that smell?

This is absolutely the most dreaded thing an agent wants to hear a potential buyer say as they are walking through the front door! Whether its pet odor, smoke, or the overbearing scent of canned roses (what some people refer to as air freshener!)…they are all “NO-GO’s” in the world of real estate. More often than not, you don’t even notice the smell because it simply smells like…well….home! Have a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor come over and walk through the door. Tell them that honesty is a MUST, and then ask what they smell! If their answer is ANYTHING other than “nothing”, find the source of the smell and address it before putting your home on the market!

So…Do you have a trusted friend or family member that would HONESTLY tell you if you had a “smell problem” with your home? What are some of the smells you notice when visiting a home?

Leave a comment and share your thoughts, and while you are at it, go ahead and follow my blog (and all of my other social media forums) for my next tip AND tons of other useful real estate info!

~Jason