When it comes to selling your home, first impressions matter, and that includes how it smells. Lingering odors from pets or smoke can be an instant turnoff for potential buyers. Even if your home is clean and well-maintained, a strong smell can cause buyers to walk away or lower their offer. So, what are your options if your house smells like pets or cigarettes?
The good news is, you don’t have to completely renovate or mask the issue to sell. In many cases, you can sell your home as-is, odors and all. Here’s how to approach selling a home with strong smells, and when it makes sense to skip the fixes and go straight to a cash buyer.
Why Odors Matter to Buyers
Buyers want to envision themselves in a space, and scent plays a big role in that first impression. Strong smells, such as those of dog urine, cat litter, or cigarette smoke, can make buyers worry about deeper issues, like stained floors, damaged walls, or costly repairs.
Even if the rest of the home looks great, buyers may assume they’ll need to replace flooring, repaint walls, or hire professional cleaners, and that can lead to lower offers or hesitation to move forward at all.
Can You Get Rid of the Odor?
Sometimes, but it can be expensive and time-consuming. Here are a few steps sellers often take:
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Deep clean carpets and furniture
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Repaint walls and ceilings
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Replace flooring and baseboards
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Use air purifiers, ozone treatments, or professional odor removal services
Depending on the size of your home and the severity of the smell, you could spend hundreds or even thousands trying to make it buyer-ready. And after all that, there’s still no guarantee it will sell quickly.
When It Makes Sense to Sell As-Is
If you don’t want to spend time and money trying to eliminate odors or if the smell is just one of many repair needs, selling your home as-is can be a smart alternative. As-is sales skip the staging, cleaning, and renovation process entirely. Instead, you sell your home in its current condition to a buyer who understands it might need a little work.
At Best Price Homebuyers, we regularly work with homeowners whose properties need cleaning, repairs, or updates. Strong odors don’t scare us away, we focus on the home's potential, not its air freshener situation.
How the As-Is Process Works
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Reach out to request a free cash offer
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We assess your home’s condition (no need to clean or prep)
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You pick your closing date - often in 7 days or less
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We handle the rest, including any cleanup or odor removal
Sell Without the Hassle
If your home smells like pets or smoke, you don’t have to feel stuck. Trying to “fix” the issue might be costly and frustrating, but selling as-is to a trusted local buyer makes the process simple.
Contact Best Price Homebuyers today for a no-obligation cash offer and learn how you can sell your home quickly, no matter the condition. Let us take care of the details so you can move forward with peace of mind.