What's that smell?
Since 2015, I’ve showed hundreds (maybe thousands at this point) of homes to active buyers. Because of my experience, I can tell you that there’s a key area of home presentation that many sellers aren’t aware of and/or are completely overlooking, and that’s their home’s olfactory experience.
How a home smells is important. In fact, scent may be more important than beautiful photos and marketing. While a perfectly staged and presented listing will always attract top dollar, many buyers can overlook paint colors and decor trends that don’t suit them. However, I’ve witnessed odors and scents turn buyers away at the front door. Here’s how to put your best scent forward.
DO - Top Tips to Prevent Odors
A few preventative steps can help sellers get ahead of the game and set them up for the sweet smell of success. As an added bonus, many of these tips will help to keep the home show ready and make it quicker and easier to prep the home for an impromptu showing.
Have the home professionally deep cleaned before listing, and keep a regular cleaning schedule through closing day.
Vaccuum daily. If carpet odor is a concern, sprinkle some baking soda in the carpet, let it rest for a few minutes, and then vacuum it up.
Put a new filter in your HVAC system.
Crack or open some windows to let fresh air in.
Set the fan function on your HVAC to “On” to keep fresh air circulating.
Run an air purifier. Make sure it’s quiet and discreet though! An air purifier cranking away at full blast can indicate that there’s an odor to hide.
Empty your trash, recyling, and compost daily.
Think before you cook. We all know how long the smell of bacon hangs around! Dito for fish and anything fried.
DO - Homes with Pets
Homes with pets need a little additional TLC. Evidence of pets tends to activate buyer noses and cause eyes to roam. They immediately start looking and sniffing for further evidence of pets and signs of pet related damage.
I clearly love my pets, so be kind to the messenger here!
Have the carpets professionally cleaned, with an added pet enzyme treatment, at least 1 week before listing your home. When carpets are first cleaned, any pet odor will be heavier for about a week. Have the carpets cleaned at least a week before listing the home removes or reduces stains and allow that smell to disapate.
Wash pet bedding and supplies regularly.
Move pet food and water bowls, toys, supplies, and bedding to the garage or a storage closet before showings.
DO - Top Tips to Add Scents
These options provide light scents that are more appealing to a wide variety of buyers and cause fewer issues. Plus, there’s a homey appeal to each of these.
Bake cookies, muffins, or bread. It’s a stereotype for a reason!
Warm a simmer pot on the stove (but turn the stove off before you leave the house).
Wipe the counters with a naturally scented cleaner.
Run a load of laundry.
DON’T - Top Scent Offenders to Avoid
These air fresheners tend to overpower areas and start the “what are they hiding” questions. They also cause the most coughing or wheezing in people with allergies or sensitivities. If you are set on using any of these items, keep them to a maximum of 1 air freshener for every 1,000 sq ft of a home, and never put them in an entryway, bathroom, or other small, enclosed area. They should only be in the largest, most open space(s) in the home.
Plug-ins - These are the worst offenders, and they tend to be used most often. I’d love to never smell another plug-in type air freshener.
Wax warmers - Offender #2 is another common item that can send buyers running due to their streghth.
Essential oil diffusers - Oil diffusers are not as strong as plug-ins and wax warmers, but since they difuse concentrated oils, they can pose a problem to people with allergies or sensitivities.
At the end of the day, the goal is to sell the home for the highest dollar amount. To do that, we need the widest pool of buyers. Some buyers are sensitive to air fresheners and fragrances, some have allergies, and some immediately start to question what a seller is hiding under heavy scents. Our goal is to make the house appealing and inviting, so consider your use of scents while the home is listed, and scent sparingly.