Dallas Appraiser L.L.C. wants your help and commentary on our Real Estate Blog

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The Good Neighbor Next Door Program

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382

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is making life just a little bit easier for those people who teach kids and make sure the streets are safe with the Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program. HUD is offering “eligible single family homes located in revitalization areas” at a 50% discount from the list price of the home.

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Article Body:

Sometimes it seems like you can't get a break if you serve your country, even if you aren't in the military. Teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel often get the bad end of the stick when it comes to their jobs. So it should come as a pleasant surprise that these jobs can work for you if you want to buy a home. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is making life just a little bit easier for those people who teach kids and make sure the streets are safe with the Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program. HUD is offering “eligible single family homes located in revitalization areas” at a 50% discount from the list price of the home.

It's not all barbecues and emerald-green lawns, though. You must be a full-time employee in the approved fields. HUD requires that you live in your new home as your only home for 36 months and that you sign a second mortgage, plus a note for this discounted amount. However, there will be no interest or unexpected payments on this mortgage, as long as you live in the place for three years as your only residence. 

Revitalization areas can be a challenge to mold into a working society of law abiding people. Sometimes the communities are hampered in their growth by crime or lack of work. These are challenges that need to be faced by you and your family in order to make this program work. Getting involved with your home, your neighbors and your surrounding neighborhood is what will lead to your success.

The revitalization efforts of a community are immeasurably aided by the presence of law-abiding people with a vested interest in building a thriving community. The presence of law enforcement and emergency response personnel can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on a neighborhood, both as good examples and as contributors to their local economy. The presence of families of those in service to their community also provides a good atmosphere of community involvement and pride.

Making communities safer begins in the home. Contributing to revitalization efforts by getting involved in the community along with any fellow Good Neighbors, your community might turn around faster than you first conceive. At the very least, it's worth looking into.

Title: 

The Garage: Storage or Mess?

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250

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When putting homes on the market, many people fail to prepare one room in their home. While not technically a "room" as such, the garage is a part of the home that is often overlooked....by sellers. Chances are that if you have been in your home for many years, you have collected a fair amount of "stuff." Where does most of this surplus "stuff" end up? You guessed it, in the garage.

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Article Body:

When putting homes on the market, many people fail to prepare one room in their home. While not technically a "room" as such, the garage is a part of the home that is often overlooked....by sellers. Chances are that if you have been in your home for many years, you have collected a fair amount of "stuff." Where does most of this surplus "stuff" end up? You guessed it, in the garage. 

For most people the garage is a holding pen for years of accumulated clutter. Now this may not seem like a big deal, but when selling a home clutter can be a big problem. If you are one of those people that tend to be a bit of a pack-rat then cleaning out your garage will be a good project to undertake. Don't forget that when your home is viewed, every room including the garage will be under scrutiny. Maybe its time to sort through the stuff and decide what is worth keeping. 

Another aspect that is commonly overlooked in garages is the general condition of the garage itself. Dingy walls and stained floors take away from the overall aesthetic quality of the home and buyers will notice this. Give the garage a coat of paint, or if you are really up to the task there are some amazing garage organization systems that improve the look and organization of garages a thousand fold. Prospective buyers will appreciate the added attention to the overall cleanliness of the home.

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Taking Title When You Buy

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409

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Taking title to a home can seem like a boilerplate event during escrow, but it is very important. The prime question is how you take title.

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Article Body:

Taking title to a home can seem like a boilerplate event during escrow, but it is very important. The prime question is how you take title. 

Taking Title When You Buy

If you are a first time buyer, you are probably wondering what taking title refers to. It is not the act of accepting a piece of paper from the seller. Taking title refers to who is listed on the title and HOW they are listed. If you are not married and are buying the home alone, you can stop reading now because you simply take the title in your own name. If you are married or buying the property with another person, things get a bit complex.

Most buyers take title in one of three ways - joint tenancy, tenants in common or as community property. Here is a closer look at each.

Joint tenancy is a popular method of taking title. Joint tenancy simply is a co-ownership situation where the purchasing parties are both listed on the title. The advantage of this form of ownership is each person on title has the right of survivorship, meaning that if one of the owners dies, title passes automatically to the surviving owner. Joint tenancy also offers tax benefits in the form of a stepped up basis. It is beyond the scope of this article, but the general idea is that the surviving owner gets to step up the cost of the home, which saves on capital gains taxes. 

Tenants in common are essentially partnerships to own a property. They are generally disfavored because of tax issues. 

Taking title as community property occurs often, but the buyers often do not realize it. If you are in a community property state, such as California, you pretty much take title as community property unless you hire a lawyer to find a way not to. Community property states have an overriding policy that funds from a married couples estate, not to mention assets, are jointly owned by both regardless of anything in writing. There are, however, some advantages to this approach. Upon the death of one spouse, the other gets a major stepped up basis on the cost of the home. When the property is sold, this results in substantial savings on capital gains. 

So, which title should you choose when buying a home? There really is not one correct answer. You simply need to analyze your specific circumstances to make the best choice.

Title: 

Taking Title of Your New House

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356

Summary:

How you take title in your new home is key decision. Unfortunately, in the euphoria of the moment, many new homeowners do not put much thought into it.

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Article Body:

How you take title in your new home is key decision. Unfortunately, in the euphoria of the moment, many new homeowners don not put much thought into it. 

Title

When purchasing a new home, you become the title owner of record. Essentially, this means you are listed in public records as the legal owner. This may sound like a simple concept, but how you are classified as an owner can impact legal and tax issues. Here are some issues to consider when taking title. 

Single Owner

If you are purchasing the property on your own, there is really only one title choice. Yep, you are going to be listed as the sole owner, to wit, in your own name. If you are investing in rental or commercial properties, you should speak with a lawyer about purchasing the properties through a limited liability company to limit potential liabilities. 

Two or More Owners

If you are married, many states require you to take title in a property as community property. In such states, you and a spouse are automatically considered to be joint owners regardless of any other factors. Community property title can have tremendous but macabre tax benefits. If one spouse dies, the living spouse gets a “step up” basis for tax consequence and huge capital gains taxes. For instance, if you purchased a home for $200,000 and it is worth $400,000 when a spouse dies, the remaining spouse gets to figure any capital gains using $400,000 as the cost of the house instead of $200,000. 

Joint Tenancy

In some states, spouses are not required to take community property title. Instead, they and any collection of two or more owners may take title in joint tenancy. The advantages of joint tenancy are twofold. First, you get the step up basis mentioned above. Second, title in the property automatically transfers to surviving owners upon the death of one owner. This means you get to avoid probate, an expensive and lengthy court process.

Taking Title

When buying a home, do not just pick title willy- nilly. Take the time to explore the options in your state and pick the best one for you.

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Some Things You May Not Know About Mold

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402

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Here is the issue: A Lot of people are going to great lengths to ensure that there is no mold in their homes. Now alone, that is a good thing, but there is a problem. Not every inspector is going to be able to correctly identify mold and within that, what kinds of mold may be dangerous. Although mold has become a bit of a hot topic in home sales, much of this is based on extreme cases. Mold does present a problem, especially when given ideal conditions in which to flourish.

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Article Body:

Here is the issue: A Lot of people are going to great lengths to ensure that there is no mold in their homes. Now alone, that is a good thing, but there is a problem. Not every inspector is going to be able to correctly identify mold and within that, what kinds of mold may be dangerous. Although mold has become a bit of a hot topic in home sales, much of this is based on extreme cases. Mold does present a problem, especially when given ideal conditions in which to flourish. That is a moist, humid,and dark area where there is an organic material for it to grown on. Without these conditions, mold cannot grow. 

However, there is another problem with mold and that is that it is extremely easy to misidentify mold. In fact many times that mold is found in a home it is in fact mildew. This is another naturally occurring growth that is in no way harmful. What is harmful to humans are a few different types of organically occurring mold such as Mucor, Chaetomium and particularity Stachybotrys. When you hear stories of mold drastically affecting someone's health it is usually this last form of mold that is being referred to. Typically the only way to remove a growing mold is to remove the nutrient source that it is growing on. That is, the wood (usually). Mold grows best on wood that has been exposed to high levels of moisture and humidity. In an average home this would happen in an area affected by a structural imperfection or after a flood. There are chemical ways of cleaning mold from these surfaces but if you want to be 100% certain it might be a good idea to replace the piece of wood or surface if at all possible.

Keep in mind that everyone's sensitivity to mold will be different. However, it is safe to assume that people with Asthma, delicate immune systems or allergies will have greater sensitivity to molds. One of the main problems with mold is the fact that is grows unseen in places that its impossible to see such as inside walls, inside sub-floors, in attics and basements. The main thing to be watchful for is areas where the moisture level is high. If you suspect there is mold in your home, be sure to get a certified mold expert in the take a look.

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Spring Home Sale Benefits

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373

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Spring is a fantastic time to sell your home. Not only is the weather great and agreeable, but there are quite a few things that you can do to spruce up your home in the warmer weather. This is one of the best times to sell a home, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and the rain and snow of winter is beating a hasty retreat in the face of the beautiful weather.

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Article Body:

Spring is a fantastic time to sell your home. Not only is the weather great and agreeable, but there are quite a few things that you can do to spruce up your home in the warmer weather. This is one of the best times to sell a home, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and the rain and snow of winter is beating a hasty retreat in the face of the beautiful weather. 

The lawn is a great area to begin on. Usually the lawn takes a bit of a beating during the winter, snow and rain can turn lawns into a soggy mess. After a few good days of sun the area should be dry enough that you can start to bring the lawn back to its former glory. Start by removing all the debris that has accumulated over the winter months. The next step is to aerate the lawn. This can be achieved by using a power rake, a device that removes plug shaped chunks of the lawn. This allows air, water and any fertilizers to saturate the area bringing much needed nutrients and air to a starved lawn. Make sure to remove any weeds that crop up at this point. You will be thankful that you get them before they have a chance to take root. A great looking lawn is a powerful visual selling point for any home.

With the lawn dealt with, take some time and assess any damage or grime that has built up during the winter. Likely there will be some cosmetic improvements that will need attending to. Check the gutters for debris as this is a popular gathering spot for leaves and grime from the winter. Now look at the house itself. Break out the power washer and see to any discoloration that may have turned up. This mostly refers to mildew that forms near the foundation and by the gutters. Grime can also be left by poor weather such as dirty water marks and muddy snow. While you have the power washer available, take some time and do the driveway and walkways too. This brings new life to the entrance of your home, something that is of great importance when greeting prospective buyers.

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Seminars are the most effective way of being educated in real estate.

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411

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With the time Tax foreclosures made a huge progress and attract a enchant number of investor toward because of the smart revenue. Majority of the seminars are directed by nationally acclaimed real estate experts who have successfully made money investing in real estate.  They educate attendees on techniques, methods and strategies which can be used to create a wining transaction

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Article Body:

   

   With the time Tax foreclosures made a huge progress and attract a enchant number of investor toward because of the smart revenue, any one who is new to real estate investment and is considering to buy a foreclosure property must have to be realistic enough regarding the thing which he is going to do. Foreclosure investment is not an ideal term for those who just begin it, they should fist have to get at least a couple of years experience with more traditional real estate investment before making their way to foreclosure. 

                              

   Many peoples invest their assets in the hope that they will be getting huge profit through it but in spite there lies some awful fact which must be known in order to avoid any complication, one disaster foreclosure investment can wipe out your whole capital and your enthusiasm for all the real estate investment.    

For those who have just started foreclosure business must to attend a reasonably good number of seminars in order to strengthen their foundation in foreclosure field and most importantly to clarify their mind and of course to eliminate any type of misconception concerning tax foreclosure.

Different real estate agencies arrange various seminars time to time to ensure that the correct information can be transmit in this way to the investors who are willing to invest their capital in it.

The Best way is to stay up to date with existing laws and recent legislation that affect the real estate industry. Choose from popular seminars such as Landlord and Tenant Law, Fundamentals of Real Estate Closings, and Zoning and Land Use. 

And you can also subscribe your self to a good real estate site which can send you time to time alert, time has told us that successful real estate professionals need to remain current with the real estate seminar series which brings the vital knowledge and information to agents as well as to the novice one in their local market.

Majority of the seminars are directed by nationally acclaimed real estate experts who have successfully made money investing in real estate.  They educate attendees on techniques, methods and strategies which can be used to create a wining transaction. And what would be a better way than getting experience form some one who has made huge progress in foreclosure. Get to know government policies that have property records and tax assessment records. Get to know the property values in an area where you are going to invest.

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Selling Your Own Home - Pet Issues

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312

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If you are selling you own home, you need to consider the effect of pets. People who are working with a real estate broker are sure to get coached about the potential negative effect of pets. If you are not working with a broker, this article discusses the pet issue.

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Article Body:

If you are selling you own home, you need to consider the effect of pets. People who are working with a real estate broker are sure to get coached about the potential negative effect of pets. If you are not working with a broker, this article discusses the pet issue.

When You Show Your Home

If you are selling you own home, you must realize a lovable pet might cause the following problems:

1. The potential buyer may be so nervous about dogs that she does not picture herself living in the home,

2. The potential buyer does not like pets and thus does not see her furniture in the home in her mind’s eye,

3. She does not picture the route she would drive to and from work, and does not imagine where she would stop for errands or fun along the way home.

In short, the presence of pets makes it difficult for the potential buyer to see the house as their own. Is a potential buyer in that frame of mind likely to buy that home? No.

Defense Against Pet Damage

If you have pets and you are selling your home as a FSBO, take heed. Board your pet or pets while your property is on the market. You can visit it, and take it for walks and to the park, but do not take it home. Have carpets shampooed. If they are really holding odors, you might even replace all or some of the carpet. Get any damage the pet has done repaired. Store or get rid of furniture you do not want to repair. Reseed the lawn and repair any damage to plantings. You will find this is money and labor well spent.

Pets are an integral part of many people’s lives and rightly so. While you may love your pet, keep in mind potential buyers may not.

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Ohio Real Estate - Large Cities and Little Farms

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478

Summary:

Ohio is a unique state where large cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati sit next to rural farms. Ohio real estate prices mirror this diversity.

Keywords: #Ohio_Real_Estate, #Ohio, #Cleveland, #Cincinnati, #Columbus, #Home_Appraiser, #Home_Appraisal, #Ohio_Rehab, #Ohio_house, #Ohio_home 

Article Body:

Ohio is a unique state where large cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati sit next to rural farms. Ohio real estate prices mirror this diversity. 

Ohio

Ohio was a mainstay in the industrial revolution in the United States. Cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati spawned industrial might to such a degree that Cleveland is still the home to many millionaires per person in the United States. Bet you did not know that! As the industrial revolution faded, the state has evolved and now has a strong high tech industry, particularly in Columbus. Notwithstanding all of this, Ohio has maintained a strong rural farming influence, which can be seen just be driving out of the cities. Throw in a bevy of lakes, and you have a surprisingly wonderful place to live.  

Columbus

Columbus is the state capital of Ohio and home to the massive Ohio State University. Sitting on the bank of the Scioto River, the city is centrally located and reflects the farmland surrounding it with a relaxed atmosphere. Named after Christopher Columbus, the city is designed well with large green areas, a thoughtful layout and statutes galore. With a huge university, the city has a definite college town feel with accompanying coffee shops, art galleries and a festive nightlife. If college football is your passion, this is the place to be in the fall. 

Cleveland

The Great Depression of the 1930s devastated the Cleveland economy, but World War II (1939–45) revived industry, and Cleveland companies recruited new workers to fill its expanded industrial capacity from among southern blacks and white Appalachians. The middle class, however, began moving out of the city into suburbs, as was the pattern nationally, and the inner city of Cleveland began to decline. By the 1960s, much of the city had sunk into poverty, and in 1966 the primarily black neighborhood of Hough erupted in riots that made national headlines. Three years later, the Cuyahoga River, saturated with a century of industrial pollutants, caught on fire. The image of a burning river, broadcast around the world, became an image that the city of Cleveland would find difficult to shake. Its reputation was further tarnished during the 1970s when it suffered a devastating fiscal crisis causing it to declare bankruptcy in 1976.

Cleveland is a city going through a major renaissance. Once branded with a rather nasty reputation, the city is now a gem in Ohio. Major money has been put into redevelopment and the city is now a hot spot for nightlife and cultural activities such as the rock n’ roll Hall of Fame. Once known as the ‘mistake on the lake’, Cleveland is now the gem of cities on Lake Erie. Lakewood and Ohio City’s older homes are starting to experience revitalization, as many younger faces are using their capital to rehab the once beautiful houses. If you are looking for a ground floor opportunity, Cleveland may just be the city for you. 

Little Italy, located on the city's eastern border with Cleveland Heights, is a thriving Italian neighborhood that in recent years has become an arts center. On the near east side, just to the north of midtown, is a small Chinatown. On the northeast side is the Slavic Village, and to the east is Hough, a largely African American neighborhood that was the site of violent riots during the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Van Sweringen brothers, real estate developers, purchased from a community of Shakers (the devout religious sect) a large tract of land about 16 kilometers (ten miles) east of Public Square. This land became the community of Shaker Heights, the first planned suburban community in the nation. To lure Cleveland's new and growing middle and upper classes into their community, the Van Sweringens bought a rail line and converted it to a commuter rail connecting their land with a downtown station they built. In 1996, the city received grants and loans of $22.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help build 400 new homes and renovate 65 homes in the Central neighborhood, a residential, industrial sector just east of the downtown.

In 1994, the cost of housing in Cleveland was the second lowest among large cities in the country. In the greater Cleveland area, the average price for a single family home in 1994 was $104,400, compared to $161,600 nationally. Among the 18 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, Cleveland residents also had the lowest average mortgage payments. 

9. Economy

Historically, Cleveland was a major industrial and manufacturing center. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, the local economy suffered, leaving Cleveland and many other midwestern cities, in an economic recession. During the 1980s, Cleveland lost 11.9 percent of its population when workers moved to take new jobs in the south and west. (During this period industrialized cities of the Midwest and Northeast were labeled the Rust Belt, and their counterparts in the South and Southwest, the Sun Belt.) Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, however, Cleveland made the transition from an industrial economy to a services-based economy. In 1995, in fact, 28.8 percent of the workforce in the Cleveland metropolitan area was engaged in services, compared to 20.6 percent in manufacturing. Wholesale and retail trade employed 23.6 percent that year and 12.8 percent worked for local, state, and federal government.

In 1995, Cleveland was home to 95 companies with revenues exceeding $100 million. Among the largest employers in the area (1994) were the U.S. government (18,500); Ford Motor Company (10,896 employees); Catholic Diocese of Cleveland (10,000); Cleveland Clinic Foundation (9,900); Cleveland Board of Education (9,673); Cuyahoga County Government (9,232); MetroHealth System (8,328); City of Cleveland (8,226); University Hospitals (7,640); State of Ohio (7,630); LTV Steel Company (7,500); Riser Foods (6,500); First National Supermarkets (6,451); Centerior Energy (6,200); Goodyear Tire and Rubber (5,937); and Ameritech (5,309).

 

Cincinnati

Sitting on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is a sit with a mix of influences. You will find a definite European influence mixed with a southern feel and energized economy. This odd mix gives rise to an eccentric streak in a city which elected Jerry Springer as the Mayor. Yes, the Jerry Springer on television. Still, the city is a typical hard working town in Ohio with a surprising number of attractions such as the redeveloped river front area. The city also has a strong tradition of professional sports with the baseball Reds and the revitalized football Bengals. 

Ohio Real Estate

Ohio real estate prices are very reasonable regardless of where you go. A single family home in Columbus, Cleveland or Cincinnati wouldl set you back between $220,000 and $250,000 before 2008, but now homes in Ohio are even more affordable. Head out of these cities and you can even expect to pay much less. 

Despite all the positive aspects of Ohio, appreciation rates are not the best in the state. 

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Cleveland.aspx

Title: 

Odors Can Make or Break The Sale of Your Home

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562

Summary:

It is amazing how important the sense of smell is to many people. If you are selling your home, and this applies across the board to houses, townhouses, condos, apartments, or whatever, you need to be aware of the power of odors. An odor like cigarette smoke can cause potential buyers to leave quickly without ever really considering purchasing your home. On the other hand, an odor like that of bread baking can conjure up all sorts of homey feelings and cause the same potential buyer to linger.

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Article Body:

It is amazing how important the sense of smell is to many people. If you are selling your home, and this applies across the board to houses, townhouses, condos, apartments, or whatever, you need to be aware of the power of odors. An odor like cigarette smoke can cause potential buyers to leave quickly without ever really considering purchasing your home. On the other hand, an odor like that of bread baking can conjure up all sorts of homey feelings and cause the same potential buyer to linger.

Do You Have ‘Deal Killer’ Odors?

The two most common offenders are cigarettes and pet odors. Sadly, most people who smoke or have pets do not realize this. Often, they do not notice the smells themselves, so they think this is not a problem. Well, it is. A surprising number of people will have a swift, strong, negative reaction. Would you like to smack every second or third prospective buyer in the face when they come through your door?

Anything cloyingly sweet like ‘room deodorizers’ which really just cover up other scents by overwhelming them is likely to be an offender. The same thing is true of other strong, funky smells. Unwashed gym clothes and shoes, cooking smells from foods such as cabbage, fish or more than a little garlic or curry will probably be offensive to many people.

So is it really necessary to stop smoking (or only smoke outdoors), ban the dog to the garden and basement, wash the laundry, and stop cooking strong smelling foods until your home is sold?

Yes.

Beyond that, it is necessary to ‘clean up your act’ if you are really desirous of selling your home. You have probably cleaned it up visually already, but what to do about lingering odors? Anything made of cloth holds odors for a long time. Carpets, upholstery, curtains and draperies, table skirts and the like will smell for months or forever. What on earth do you do about them?

If it is bad enough, carpets need to be replaced and upholstered furniture put into storage. However, it is often adequate to shampoo carpets and the upholstery in the most intense areas (your favorite smoking chair and the pieces nearby) and launder the curtains. Keep fans going while things are drying; you do not want to end up with mold and mildew smells. Your goal is to clean up the cause of the smell, not to cover it up.

Attractive Odors Attract

Odors people find attractive are very personal, but there are general smells that are pleasant and cause good emotional responses in most people. We have already mentioned baking bread. Almost anything that smells sweet when tends to be in this category ñ cookies, apple pie, cinnamon buns, etc. Of course, it is not practical to bake the whole time your house is on the market, but one thing each week-end might be possible.

In cool weather, apple cider simmering with a cinnamon stick or two and a few cloves has much the same effect and is definitely easier to do. A vase or two of flowers with mildly scented flowers is another possibility.

Of the two, cleaning out offending scents is much more important than adding pleasant ones. If you can successfully do both, you are way ahead of much of your competition and it will help your home sell faster.