Smokers' houses harder to sell

Wilmington (DE) News Journal ^ | September 26, 2003 | Maureen Milford

[Gabz]

As tobacco has become less socially acceptable and home buyers are more aware of indoor air quality, houses that reek of cigarette smoke are becoming a harder sell, experts report.

"It definitely is a major turnoff," said Michael Wilson, a real estate agent with Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors in Brandywine Hundred. "Buyers immediately think about what they'll have to do to eliminate the odor. It's a real drawback and a real negative."

[krb]

It has been my experience that most smokers can't tell, and most non smokers can tell, no matter how tidy the owner of the house tried to be.

[VermiciousKnid]

Your experience with the realtor brought back memories of my own.

I searched and searched for a house that lived up to my expectations. I told the realtors, "If it is a ranch of any kind, I don't want to see it. If it is on a main road, I don't want to see it. If it does not have a wood-burning fireplace, I don't want to see it. If it was not built before 1940, I don't want to see it." I don't know how I could have been more specific, but many of the realtors wasted a LOT of time trying to show me houses that I didn't want to see.

Finally, I found one who had the same philosophy as I did: DON'T WASTE TIME. It took only two weeks to find our house, which we got for a song -- because the couple was heading for divorce court. It matched my description perfectly. Oh, the decor was horrendous (white paneling everywhere), and I still have a kitchen that looks like Carol Brady is going to walk in any minute, but we are slowly making it into a showplace little by little. We tackle Mrs. Brady's kitchen next summer. And then...I'll be done with the decorating and can concentrate ONLY on upkeep. It'll be a walk in the park. : )

Regards,

[berkeleybeej]

I would love to become a non-smoker. However when I read the anti-smoking posts, my stomach tightens up and I light up another.

Any tips on quitting?

[Gabz]

Believe me, I have no class envy, particularly of the real estate industry. and I was only referring to it in Delaware, no where else.

As to my name calling - from the start I have been told that I stink, my house has a stench and is filthy just because I smoke - I treatothers the way they treat me.

You know real estate in Pittsburgh, I have said nothing about it there. I know real estate in Delaware, which you admittedly don't, yet you insist on telling me that you know better than I do.

You never saw the condition of my house, yet you claim to KNOW that it was not in pristine condition.

Making such assumptions are wrong.

You and I are not going to agree about this article, so repeating your same mantra is actually a waste of time and bandwidth.

I will state it one more time - there is corruption in the real estate industry in Delaware and the use of anti-smoking charlatans as "experts" is just further proof to those that know anything about either real estate in Delaware or the anti-smoker industry in general.

[CSM]

"My daughter smokes & sometimes when she kisses my cheek she gets the smell on my face. She isn't dirty she just has a residue on her skin that I can smell."

Wow! She transfers the smell to you with a kiss! You better stop letting her kiss you lest you become deathly ill! I have never heard of such a paranoid statement! Most people I interact with are shocked and awed when they realize that I smoke, the can't tell and don't beleive me until they actually see me doing it.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Finally, I found one who had the same philosophy as I did: DON'T WASTE TIME.

Congratulations. We never did find one. We'd give very specific instructions and would always end up being disappointed. I can go with pretty much any era -- but there are specific rules -- if its pre-1900, it got to have high ceilings. Also, if its got asbestos and lead paint, I want a price reduction. When we were shown yet another: "perfect" house -- the ceilings were 6 foot 8 inches, Mr. Peel and I looked at each other and decided to build.

[Gabz]

I've heard the stories about Corona --- in fact I was hearing them before I left Brooklyn and that was more than 20 years ago. I had friends in Astoria that rarely ventured into Corona.

regards to you.

[Ditter]

I figured someone would say what you did but it is true. Particularly when she smokes in a closed space like her car the residue is on her face. I'm not paranoid, you smokers just have no idea how stinky cigarette smoke is to non smokers. Its no big secret, quit & you will see.

[CSM]

I was actually being a bit sarcastic. If I read between the lines I hear the statement that you are offended when your daughter kisses you! That is just a crazy statement. I don't like some perfumes, but I would never be offended by a kiss from a loving grandmother and having that smell linger around me for the rest of the day.

[Gabz]

Whose at fault in this case? The agent would blame the smokers. I blame the agent for wasting our time with a house whose location did not interest us. And, yes, we got a new agent.

I would blame the agent as well.

On this thread I've been criticized for blaming the agent for my house not selling and blamed that the reason it didn't sell was because I am a smoker. Sorry, but if the agent makes no effort to market a property no one is gong to know if the sellers smoke or not. I got a new agent and sold my house for the amount I wanted.

Yes, I will admit to expressing my anger on this thread - because my initial reason for posting this article really had nothing to do with smoking, but mor about how "so-called" experts can convince anyone of anything and people that have no dog in the fight about smoking are jumping on the bash the smoker bandwagon in order to make money.

When we started looking for a house here in Virginia we told the agent what we were looking for and our price range. I guess we were very lucky, not once did he show us a house that was above our range, nor did he show us anything that didn't fit the criteria of what we were looking for. Even this house we bought, he warned us that it didn't match what I specifically wanted in the way of a kitchen and that is why he didn't mention it to us. Even my husband was concerned about the size of the kitchen. that was my requirement a big kitchen. I had spent 11 years with a 5'x7' galley kitchen and wanted bigger. I laughed at them both - this kitchen is 10'x16'. I fell inlove with my little 65 year old farmhouse on 2 acres in the country.

In the end, a good agent will make all the difference, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

[Ditter]

Offended by her kiss? No, of course not. I am a little sad that she smokes but it doesn't offend me. Sad for her also because all the older smokers in the family have died from their addiction & are not here for her to love.

[twigs]

then why did I get exactly what I wanted for mine when I sold it??

Market forces. We will soon be looking at houses. We are not smokers, in fact, we hate the stuff and I would much prefer to buy a home where smokers have not lived. However, if we find a home with smoke odor in it, but everything else is just what we want, then we will buy it and probably pay the asking price. It's a matter of balancing all of our desires.

[Gabz]

You have no clue as to what I am talking about and I do not have the time to repeat everything i have been saying.

Read the thread.

If you don't like a house for whatever reason - don't buy it, very simple.

[Gabz]

It's a matter of balancing all of our desires.

You have that right.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

In the end, a good agent will make all the difference, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

Oh, I absolutely agree. Also, if the buyer loves the house, no matter what, statistics won't mean squat. Case in point: I come from a very tall family. When I was a teenager, my folks bought a new house, while it was being built. The only room that was complete was the kitchen. My mother was insistent: "rip it out". So everything was ripped out. She wanted extra tall kitchen counters -- 3 inches higher than normal because she didn't want to have to stoop. She was warned and warned and warned. "you'll never sell your house" .. Well, when the day came for my folks to sell that house, it was one the market for one week. The buyer? A single lady who was 6' 1" and fell in love with the kitchen.

[CSM]

Glad to hear that it doesn't offend you. Looks like I mistook you for a gnatzie!

How old were the older smokers when they passed away and how do you know it was from smoking? Just curious to see if you have fallen for the gnatzie rhetoric.