Please allow me to be straightforward here in an attempt to help you sell your house faster and at a better selling price. The plain fact is that all animals come with different smells and odor. Most of these are unpleasant. Unfortunately, this also includes your pets. Unpleasant smells do not appeal very well to the good sense of prospective buyers. It is a must that you get rid of any unappealing and offensive odors that are present in and around your house.

Yes, we all love our pets but most would-be buyers do not. We become used to the peculiar scents of our pets and we are likely not to notice them. On the contrary, potential buyers who are not used to this smell will definitely notice them the instant they enter your premises. If you put yourself in their shoes this would translate into an unpleasant experience.

Scent is a very influential emotional and psychological catalyst. The smell of baking bread may bring about pleasant emotions and memories but the odors of cigarettes, damp dogs or kitty litter pans will most likely bring about negative emotions. There should be no indication of animals in the house. No unwarranted scents, no fur, no toys, no pets. Litter trays should be cleaned everyday and these should be out of sight. Consider relocating your pets to stay with a friend or a pet day care during showing days. In this way you can avoid any unnecessary distractions and possible turnoffs.

If you keep animals in the house or if you smoke indoors, it is not advisable to mask the smell with air fresheners or other inexpensive solutions. The smell of lavender and damp dog is not very pleasant and it is not a big improvement over damp dog smell. Instead, it is better to use an ozone spray or an air ionizer. These methods can clear bad odors quite efficiently. These can also give a light and pleasant atmosphere in your house. People usually associate cover up smell with air fresheners. It is better to smell clean natural odor than to mask it with something else.

In the meantime that you are trying to sell your condo, it would be a wise decision to keep the smoking outside the premises. You should also consider having your furniture, drapes and carpets professionally cleaned to get rid of pet and/or smoke stench that has clung them.