I was out with some clients recently and we saw a fantastic house, it was huge, on an oversized lot, and in a good location… but the sellers were smokers.
We were skeptical from the beginning, but without going in person there’s no way to know how bad the smell is. But the house had enough appealing elements that we decided to go see it and just see.

UGH… even through the overwhelming glade plug-ins you could smell it. All the walls were the tell tale yellowish off white with nicotine stains. So disappointing! I wanted to give the sellers a serious talking to, what were they thinking?!
I actually think given the percentage of smokers that I would encounter properties that have been smoked in more often. But surprisingly, I’ve only been in a few properties that have been occupied by smokers who smoked in the space. Only three. And each time it was a big fat no from the buyer.

Properties that have been smoked in are hard to sell.

It takes a lot of work to get the smoke smell out of a house. You have to wash all the walls and ceilings, put a coat of killz to combat the chemicals from the cigarette smoke, and then two coats of paint. All carpet and drapes have to go. The ductwork all has to be cleaned. And even then you can’t be sure that will take care of it, so there’s a big risk to the person buying a place that has been smoked in. Will all that work actually work?

Want to kill the value of your home? Light up a cigarette. Or ten, for years… blech. Unfortunately I’m sure smokers aren’t even aware of the smell because they are literally inhaling that same smoke that is damaging their house {and killing their home’s value}, but for the rest of the non-smokers out there, it’s overwhelming. And scary. Aside from just not wanting to smell smoke, there are legitimate health factors at play.

People, don’t smoke in your house! It soaks into every finish and is so hard to get out. And it’s too big of a risk for most buyers to take on. Not worth it. Next time you are tempted to light up in your house, think about how much more money you’ll make when you sell by resisting the urge and head outside. Give yourself some fresh air, and keep you house smelling fresh and clean for your future buyers!