Smoking reduces house value by 30%, realtor survey suggests

Homeowners risk coughing up big bucks if they're also smokers, a survey of Ontario real estate agents and brokers suggests. The survey suggested that smoking in the home can reduce the value of a resale property by up to 29 per cent.

The study was sponsored by Pfizer Canada, a pharmaceutical company. It estimates a potential loss of up to $107,000 on a home in Ontario, where the average price is currently around $369,000. The study showed that an overwhelming majority of 401 real estate agents and brokers surveyed agreed that it is more difficult to sell a home where owners have smoked.

1/4 unwilling to buy a smoker's home

More than half of respondents — 56 per cent — said most buyers are less likely to purchase a home where people have smoked, and 27 per cent said most buyers are actually unwilling to buy a home where people have smoked.

In Canada, an estimated 15 per cent of homes have at least one regular smoker. The study found that almost half, or 44 per cent of respondents, said smoking in the home affects resale value. Of these, one in three said smoking in the home may lower the value by 10 to 19 per cent and a further one in three said it may lower the value by 20 to 29 per cent.

"Smoking has a profound impact on how appealing a home is to a prospective buyer," said David Visentin, a real estate agent and co-host of the W Network's Love it or List program. "It stains walls and carpets, and leaves a smell that can be hard to eliminate. Many prospective buyers are really put off by homes that have been smoked in and they can be very challenging to sell."

Do people feel any different in British Columbia? Probably not..