Dealing with a Smoker's Home

Picture this: you've been searching for your dream home and think you might have finally found the one. You head over to check it out, marveling along the way at the convenience of the location, the exterior's curb appeal, and the great price, only to step inside and realize that the interior is saturated with the smell of cigarettes. Although smoking isn't nearly as prevalent as it was in years past, this is still a common situation encountered by prospective home buyers. The CDC reports that the proportion of U.S. adults who smoke dropped from 20.9% in 2005 to 13.7% in 2018, but this still means that millions of potential home sellers are active smokers. In this post, you can read about some of the methods that smokers and nonsmokers alike might want to employ in an attempt to rid their home of the distinctive smell. Plus, those who still smoke indoors might be interested in learning just how much it reduces the resale value of their home.

In real estate terms, what is the cost of smoking in a home? One survey of Canadian real estate agents back in 2013 found that 87% believed the habit reduced a home's value. The most commonly-reported amount of value lost was 20-29%, with some agents reporting a value reduction of over 30%. Using the median price of a home in March of 2020 of $320,000, a 25% reduction in value translates to a loss of almost $80,000!

Perhaps even more importantly, 27% of agents reported that most buyers are flat-out unwilling to purchase a smoker's home at all. This means that smoking in your home loses you a huge amount of resale value and makes it harder to sell your home in general. Bans of indoor smoking are somewhat of a new phenomenon starting in 1994 in California. Other states followed in their footsteps but there are still 12 states, including Arkansas, that does not have any such laws on the books. While these laws protect some public spaces there are still no current laws that apply to private homes and so it is up to the owner to decide how they will approach smoking in their own homes.

For those buyers who do end up buying a smoked-in home, it can seem nearly impossible to completely remove the smoky smell from their new residence. Here are some steps to take to try to banish it once and for all:

  • Have the air ducts professionally cleaned
  • Change the HVAC filter often
  • Clean the HVAC evaporator coil
  • Wash all floors, carpets, windows, curtains, walls, and ceilings (smoke rises after all)
  • If any fabrics still smell, replace them
  • If walls and ceiling still smell, try repainting them using an odor-neutralizing primer
  • Change light bulbs, which can release smoky residue as they get hot
  • Purchase an indoor air purifier

If you still detect smoke coming from air vents, then you can consider replacing the entire HVAC system as a last resort. Check out Realtor.com for more advice on banishing smoky smells from your home.