Joanne Gauthier Brentwood & Nashville TN Sensible Homes

You need to get rid of pesky home odors before you put your house on the market in Brentwood, TN or any other market, and it does not matter what it is: cat, dog, birds, spices, smoke, musty or human odors.

Bad smell is one of the worst aspect a house can have, it can turn away potential buyers faster than anything else. Remember that some people have more acute sense of smell than others. In order to make sure you don't lose these potential buyers all together, you need to make sure that you get rid of those pesky home odors before you put your house on the market.

Pesky home odors can be hard to get rid of, but not impossible, depending on the source of the smell; it can represent a small amount, to a substantial amount of money to get rid of. There are some companies specializing in serious odor treatment and not odor cover ups, that you may want to consult before trying anything.

Smoke tar and resin from years of smoking, as well as spicy food smells are everywhere. You will need to clean curtains, shades, chandeliers, hanging pictures, carpet, floor, walls, ceilings, moldings, windows, furniture. In some extreme cases, you may have to paint everything (after cleaning), store your furniture and stage the house, in order to get rid of those pesky home odors.

For dog and especially cat urine, you may need to clean and treat carpet or replace carpet (I've hired professional carpet cleaners in the past for cat urine, and after two cleanings with special pet treatment, the smell was still there); you may even have to remove existing carpet, clean subfloor with bleach and prime it, or replace it before installing new carpet. For strong dog smells, you may have to get rid of some smelly furniture, or put them in storage.

To get top dollars, you will need to smoke outside the house after cleaning, and if your are typically cooking with very strong spices, you may want to refrain from doing so, and do a lot of grilling outdoors during the selling process and until you move out.

It is always a touchy subject for real estate agents to tell their clients that the house smells, but I believe it is our responsibility. As a seller, don't be offended, your agent is protecting your asset by doing so.

If your house smells, getting rid of those pesky home odors (before you put your house on the market), is the only way to get top dollars for your home, and selling it in a reasonable amount of time. Consider the cost of getting rid of those pesky home odors, as one of the best investment you will ever make in that house.

For more information about the Brentwood, Franklin and Nashville, TN real estate market you can contact me or visit my website.

My clients are often asking me, "What is the price per square foot for a home in Brentwood, TN?".

Well, there are no good answers for that... Although most people do look at the price per square foot when they buy a home, nobody should base a purchase on this alone, and this is why:

Prices per square foot for a home can vary enormously based on quality of construction; location; layout; lot sizes and orientation; whether it's a one-story or multi-level home; condition; improvements and updates; quality of appliances; amenities, among other factors.
1. The price per square foot for a home will vary deeply depending on the quality of the construction, you can have the same floor plan, in the same neighborhood, built by two different builders, one used all quality material to build and several architectural features and the other one used basic material and features; at first glance you may not be able to see the difference, but live in it for a few years and you will feel the difference in your wallet.

Obviously the house from the builder using quality material will cost more to build, and it will most probably sell at a higher price per square foot, but it will cost less to maintain on the long run. It is always good to work with a Realtor® that knows the builders working in your areas, or can identify good craftsmanship in a build.

2. The price per square foot for a home can also vary because of the neighborhood the property is located, the more desirable the neighborhood, the higher the price per square foot.

3. Is the house a one level or two levels? One level houses have a larger footprint than the two level houses, and because of that larger foundation, they cost more to build per square foot than two story houses, smaller homes also cost generally more per square foot to build than larger homes.

4. What is the lot size? The price per square foot for a home will also vary depending on the lot size, a larger lot will require more money to acquire than a smaller one.

5. Location and condition of the lot. Each neighborhood has better lots than others, some have better views, close to water, close to a common area, better access, better orientation of the lot, etc. Some are professionally landscaped while others are bare.

6. The layout, condition, quality of appliances, improvement and updates of a property will also affect the price per square foot. Better layout will get more money, open floor plans are more in demand than closed-in layout; the same is true for a property in great condition and with many updates or with superior windows or roof shingles.

7. If you are looking at condominium or townhome, the price per square foot can be higher in a subdivision or project that is financially sound and well managed, than another with insufficient reserves. If there are no rental restrictions, ask what the units rent for, and the ratio of rentals to owner occupied, the quality of construction, as well as the condition, location, improvements and updates, maintenance of common areas, and overall amenities.

So remember, if you are going to compare different homes, don't stop at the price per square foot, but consider at all the other variables that will affect the value of the property.

If you are in the market for a Nashville, Franklin or Brentwood, TN home and need help to make sense of all these factors, please contact me.

Photo of $ sign from Svilen Milev

I started noticing the home downsizing trend in Brentwood, TN just a few years ago.

Brentwood TN real estate is well known for their bigger than life homes, the average SF on houses on the market right now in Brentwood TN is 4,525 SF*, so there is a lot of big houses out here.

With the economic situation, the stock market and aging population, I believe you will see a home downsizing trend in Brentwood, TN as well as everywhere else. A lot of people are realizing that they don't need to live in huge houses, it just does not make sense anymore. 

I find that when professionals and baby-boomers want to downsize their homes, they don't want to let go of all the comfort they are used to. They want a smaller home, but they still want their high-end amenities they have worked so hard to get.

In fact, since they are downsizing their homes, they want the interior and exterior of their home to be upgraded even more: better floor plan, better views, fully equipped gourmet kitchen, heated floors, dual dishwashers, high-end selections, outdoor kitchen & fireplace, etc. all that, in a smaller, smarter, more sensible package.

I believe that we will see more and more of this home downsizing trend and it will be up to the custom builders to offer lot size, floor plans, and interior & exterior selections that are more in tune with what the customers want. 

I was recently talking with a successful 38 old young music professional, who lives in my neighborhood; he was telling me that he was thinking of moving, and I asked him why, he just answered we wanted to downsize. I very was surprised to see, someone this young, talking about downsizing his home, but there it was!

To learn more about real estate in Brentwood, Franklin and Nashville, TN areas please visit my website or contact me.

*RealTracs.net  Jan. 2011