How does home tobacco use affect selling a property?

Tobacco use in a for-sale property does impact buyers’ decision-making, a report found.

Eighty-five percent of Realtors® reported a prospective buyer who visited a property, in which the owner used tobacco, was reluctant to consider a home after their first visit, according to a recent survey of Pennsylvania Realtors® who are active in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery and Chester counties by Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health.

Beyond getting buyers to come back for a second look, tobacco use also had an impact on other features associated with selling a home. Three quarters of Realtors® responded that tobacco affected the final price of the home, while 74% said it had an impact on days the property was on the market. One in seven Realtors® said more time was necessary to prepare the home to be listed, and 36% said other Realtors® showed reluctance in showing the home.

“We were not surprised that these results confirmed how significant an issue this is for professional Realtors®,” said Dr. Ann Klassen, a professor at the Department of Community Health and Prevention at Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. “Although other surveys in other communities in the U.S. and Canada have highlighted this issue, the Philadelphia region has some of the highest rates of tobacco addiction in our country. So, we are heartened that Realtors® in our region are also committed to working on this important health concern.”

“According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke contains harmful chemicals and increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer in exposed non-smokers by 20-30%.  Creating a smoke-free home prevents exposure to secondhand smoke and promotes healthy living,” added Program & Policy Analyst at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Muna Tefferi, MPH.

Nearly all of participants in the survey (94%) reported attempting to assist sellers who use tobacco get rid of the effects. More than 80% advised professional cleaning, 74% suggested painting indoors, 74% outlawed smoking inside while the home is on the market and 58% advised sellers to replace carpets, drapes and other fabrics that hold in the smell of smoke.

Nearly half of Realtors® said sellers were receptive to their suggestions, but 51% said they received mixed responses from their clients. Regardless, the majority of sellers Realtors® worked with were aware of the issues surrounding their habits.

“We do see evidence from this survey that support for smoke-free housing continues to grow, and the demand from buyers is very strong,” added Klassen. “This shows that preparing a home for sale may be a teachable moment for smokers, and an untapped tobacco control opportunity. We believe public health professionals can partner with Realtors® to educate smokers on the health benefits of maintaining a smoke-free home to protect the health of their families, as well as working on cutting back on or stopping their own tobacco use.  Once a smoker has made these changes in response to a home sale, it may be easier for them to keep their new residence smoke-free, and continue to move towards a tobacco-free life.”

*This study was funded by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.