For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 31, 2018

hope the other house is more pleasing

It’s like looking for used cars – every good one seems to reek of pets.

I remember looking at a two-story house that reeked of dog urine all over the place because they had carpeting everywhere, including the dining room that is part of the kitchen which had linoleum roll-out floor, and the smell was so strong that my husband and I did not see past the first floor. Unbelievably it did sell – it is down the street from my current house. Probably for much lower to compensate for new floorings in that 2,700 sq ft house and new paint.

Elly’s cat allergy seems to be coming up in the final panel as she puts her hand over her mouth to keep from coughing up a hair ball.

A friend made a great deal on a house 2/3rd the value. The reason was that the interior was painted in dayglo poster paint with black ceilings. He was glad to buy paint and cover it for the money he saved.

I wonder what kind real estate code language was used to describe tha house!

Smells like cat pee? Hmm… Let’s see… Decongestant packets… Cans of ether… Maybe we should just call HazMat and the DEA.

When I sold my old house my realtor said he had never been in a house with cats that didn’t smell. I scoop the cat boxes religiously every day and have at least one litter box per cat. Healthy cats are very clean.

NEXT!

Peter Straub in “Floating Dragon” (fantastic book, BTW) recommends white wine for getting cat smell out of floors.

A house that smells of “cat” is the home of a person who does not know how to take care of cats. I have owned cats for more than 40 years and have only once had an odor problem which was easily eliminated by products specifically made to break down and eliminate urine smells using enzymes. The cat had a medical problem and once it was cured, the odor problem stopped. My cats are clean, healthy and do not “eliminate” anywhere but the litter box which gets cleaned every day. We have no odor problem at all.

So, Lynn is apparently NOT a cat person. Her loss.

I remember going with a friend to look at a House some years ago. The previous owner had owned many cats. When the front door was unlocked and opened, we could see the fleas in the carpet jumping around. We immediately closed and locked the door. My friend did not buy the house.

You cat lovers give me the giggles. Yes we can smell cat in your house. You are just used to it, and can’t tell anymore. I’m glad you take such good care of your kitties. They are loving, pretty pets.

My home smells of birds and dog and me.

…unless i’m cooking bacon…

How about “Quiet Neighbors” and find it’s next to a cemetery!

Reminds me of the day long time ago, (40+) when we were first time home buyers: the agent took us to the first house like that. We had no experience in such tactics, since both of our parents built their own house way back when. What a life lesson!

I know people that bought a house with a ghost. The pesky thing turns on/off lights (you can see the switch going up and down). Try selling that. “House in old fashioned neighborhood with a character”.

No cats in a house we looked at, but the living room was dark blue, the hall was green, and the kitchen and dining room were yellow and orange or orange & yellow.