BUSINESS
HEART-TO-HEART CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT CARPET ODORS
By R. Doyle Bloss
A
s the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, people have a tendency to go inside,
make sure the windows are closed, shut the door, and spend more time inside. With
less airflow and ventilation, and the simple fact that the people and pets living in a home are
spending more time there, the likelihood of odors emanating from the carpet becoming more
obvious greatly increases. The problem is that the homeowner is often the last to notice or
know. Why? - Because they are used to the smell. The time often comes when someone, and
often that someone is you, needs to have a heart-to heart conversation about carpet odors
with the homeowner. So just why are the carpet odors anybody’s business other than the
occupants of the home?
A pricey condominium in a Chicago high-rise was proving to be a very hard sale. The
property had been on the market for over six months, a long time even considering the
tough real estate market. The real estate agent decided it was time to have a “heart-to-heart”
conversation with the frustrated seller, an older gentleman who had lived in the unit for more
than a decade.
Did the agent tell his client the price was too high? Actually, both the agent and the seller
believed the property was priced rather competitively.
Maybe the property needed some updates, maybe a new kitchen? While the property
was certainly not brand new, the kitchen and bathrooms were recently updated, making this
unlikely the issue.
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