Toronto Real Estate with Mulholland | Ross

Smoking Costs Lives…and Home Equity!

We’re all familiar with the health hazards of smoking and we have all quickly become accustomed to the No Smoking regulations through out Toronto and most of Canada.  In fact, most smokers will agree that the only place to enjoy a cigarette these days in the comfort of your own home.

But here’s something no one ever talks about.  Homes that smell of cigarette smoke often sell for far less than those that don’t!

Unless you’re absolutely sure your home is going to be purchased by a builder who intends to demolish your home immediately – start smoking on your porch like most of your neighbours do.

When buyers walk into a home with a lingering smell of tobacco they instantly start adding up all the things they will need to do in order to remove the odour;  remove all carpet, remove all window treatments, repaint every wall and refinish all hardwood floors. In some cases the removal of attic insulation also becomes necessary.

This can all add up to huge costs for the buyers so, guess what happens to the price of your home. On a $500-$600k home, smokers homes can sell for $10,00 – $15,000 less than a non-smokers home. So on top of the daily cost of a pack of smokes – now think about what it’s doing to the tax free equity in your home.

The Mulholland | Ross Team always call agents who have shown our listings as well as those buyers who visited our open houses. It is amazing how many will comment on the smell of a smokers home first.

So, sorry to say, the comforts of your home may be the last place you ever want to light up.

Comments or ideas? We’d love to hear your stories.

Tags: "mulholland ross", "real estate toronto", how to sell, north york homes, property values toronto, toronto buyer info, toronto condos, toronto home stager, toronto property search, toronto real estate

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 at 10:00 pm and is filed under SELLING INFORMATION. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1. Victim said at August 1st, 2010 at 12:48 am

   You’re right! If I walk in a unit and smell cigerette smoke, I definitely won’t buy the house. There is no way to elimilate the smell.

   You think smoking in the balcony will solve the problem?

   1. People who live in condos, there’s a rising number of complaints are for smoke drift.

   2. A lot of condo dwellers complained:
   “Someone’s out on the balcony and it’s drifting in my door or window or drifting in through the piping — there’s a lot of cracks and crevices in multiunit housings”
   If your smoke can drifted to your neigbours’ unit, it will drift back to your own unit.

   3. Science has demonstrated that secondhand smoke can permeate walls.

   4. You want to sell your home a good price, smoke somewhere else, not inside your unit, not in your balcony, find somewhere far away from your condo.

2. Mulholland Ross said at August 13th, 2010 at 6:57 am

   Great advice! I never really considered the effects of smokers in condo buildings – even those who smoke outside on their balcony. I’m sure their intentions are good but now see the effects it could have on neighbours.

   Thanks for sharing.

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