Smoking and other nasty niffs stand in the way of successful sales

A survey from independent estate agency network Move With Us reveals that smoking and other bad smells are the most off-putting factors to 55 per cent of potential home owners when viewing a property.

More than 100 independent estate agents were asked what factors were most likely to discourage viewers from purchasing a property.

Smoking and other bad smells secured the top spot, viewing a home with lots of mess and clutter was second with 22 per cent followed in third place by the neighbours with 11 per cent.

Director Robin King said: “Sellers often spend so much time thinking about what their property looks like and how it is presented that they can often forget other senses, such as smell.

“It’s common knowledge in the industry that the smell of pets, cigarettes and chip pans are a huge turn off to potential buyers.

“There are many things that homeowners can do to combat nasty odours and make their home much more attractive to potential buyers.

“Smoking outside, opening the windows, cleaning the carpets and curtains, using anti smoke air fresheners, removing ash trays, rubbish and chip pans will all help.

“They can also put on a pot of coffee or bake bread when people come to view to give the property an extra homely feel.

“It’s also interesting to see that homeowners aren’t always carrying out the most simple of measures to help sell their home such as making sure it’s clean and tidy ahead of viewings.

“While any professional estate agent will do their utmost to sell a property, homeowners should also take responsibility and ensure they are doing all they can to make their property attractive to potential buyers as this could mean the difference between selling the property or not.”