“Get me well so I can get on television and tell people to stop smoking.” – Nat King Cole

Smoking is an annoying and dangerous habit which is very difficult to quit. I haven’t smoked since 1987, but quitting was not easy. We all have had tenants who are smokers. Even with “no smoking” buildings, they can find a way if they really want to. When they move out, it can be quite difficult to get rid of the smell in the unit, and if you prefer your next tenant to be a non-smoker, you need to do a really good cleaning to dispel the tobacco odors. I have seen some really bad units over the years and depending on the length of occupancy, some cleanups will be easier than others.

THE BASICS. Of course, you will need to remove the carpet, paint the entire unit and possibly remove or replace some floor coverings. One thing you can do initially, is to air the place out. Open all the windows and, if possible, keep them open during your rehab period. Clean the walls. Even if you plain to repaint, this will remove or at least lessen the residue. Use a microfiber towel. Try a mixture of one teaspoon of all purpose cleaner with 1/4 of a cup of distilled vinegar per quart of warm water. Then rinse with clean water. Change the solution often to keep from redepositing the soil on the walls.

Don’t forget the ceilings..

FLOORS. If you are lucky, they may come clean. Deep clean the carpets with a carpet cleaner and mop the hard surfaces. You may have to do this more than once, but if you can salvage your carpeting it will be worth it. Try sprinkling the carpets with baking soda. Use a mop or a brush to work the baking soda in. Let the carpeting sit for four hours or longer before you vacuum.

WINDOW COVERINGS. Try washing the drapes, if you have them, or do very thorough cleaning of your blinds. You will want to remove the blinds for cleaning and also to clean the spaces where they were attached.

ADDITIONAL. Small bowls of white vinegar will absorb tobacco smells. Put several around the unit during the cleaning process. Coffee grounds will neutralize the odors as well. Again, several small bowls around the unit should help. Be sure to remove any ash trays from the unit. The longer you can keep the windows open, the better it will smell. Worst case, you may need to remove some carpeting, or even some flooring. Reflect the repair costs in your security deposit accounting, especially if the previous tenant said they were a non-smoker.

“If you want to be the best, you have to do the things that other people aren’t willing to do.” Michael Phelps

What we at PRS PROPERTIES CAN DO. We are always available to chat. We can give you referrals for professionals, such as lenders, contractors, and engineers, so that you can decide who you feel best with. We can supply you with rent and sale comparables in the area of your properties, so that you know what rental values are in your area. It is important that you know the true value of your rental units, so that you can get them rented right away at market value, or at least as much as possible with rent control restrictions. We can look at potential purchases that you may be interested in to make the property more desirable, and maybe look at potential issues that an insurer might require you to repair.

If you should decide to sell your building, we can help you exchange into a larger or smaller properties. We can even help you move into something with less management responsibilities. We can also help with getting the paperwork together for a refinance if that is your desire. We can also recommend experienced licensed contractors who can perform any repairs or installations you may need prior to selling. We can also look at your building for other easy and inexpensive changes that might allow you to get a higher value. We can help you to get the maximum value for your property, should you decide to sell, or the maximum return if you are planning to keep your building.

We always have many investors who are looking for “as-is” properties and are willing to purchase with low rents, deferred maintenance or even with a problem tenant in place. We have put together numerous transactions over the years which involve properties that are not listed for sale. Many investors are currently in 1031 exchanges and need to identify a replacement property before their 45 day identification period runs out.

Should you decide to put your property on the market, we will put together an aggressive, targeted and professional campaign to get your property sold fast. We have been doing this for over 40 years, and we will use all the tools available to bring you the most dollars at closing. If you are thinking of selling or are just curious about the value of your property, don’t hesitate to give us a call.