Lighting candles, spritzing air fresheners, and baking cookies. They’re all common recommendations when thinking of scents to sell your home, with the long-held belief that potential buyers engage all five senses when inspecting a property.
So how important are scents when it comes to making a good first impression with your home? It’s true that there are many other factors that play a part in making that crucial first impression.
Air out the rooms of your house that face away from the sun to remove any damp or musty air and be conscious of creating moisture through showering or bathing just before open home hours. Also avoid cooking anything too overpowering for dinner or breakfast that day. This will leave the rooms neutral and ready to add scents to.
If you’re confident you have done everything you can to ready your home for inspection, then it’s a good idea to look at those final few touches that will present your property in the best possible light on the day.
Use subtle scents to help sell your home
Sure, noticing a subtle but pleasant smell when entering a home is always lovely, but being hit with an overpowering odour can leave potential buyers left thinking of nothing else, when what you’re aiming for is creating ambiance.
A pleasant scent should be background music so-to-speak. It should add to the overall impression you leave on potential buyers, but not be so strong that it’s distracting.
Simple works best
The less is more mantra can also be applied to the type of scent you choose. Research conducted by Eric R. Spangenberg, dean for the College of Business at Washington State University, suggests that complex scents, with a mix of multiple fragrances, can overwhelm potential buyers.
A subtle, simple scent of orange, or cinnamon might be a better option than say a strong floral scent, with multiple competing notes.
Tailor for each room and season
Another option to consider is a scent for each room of the house, such as cinnamon or vanilla in the kitchen or sea minerals or a subtle floral scent in the bathroom.
Season also plays a role, with some floral scents evoking images of spring and others like sandalwood or frankincense reminding us of winter.
Funnily enough, research has shown that when shoppers smell a scent ordinarily associated with winter during the summer months, it causes confusion and competes for their attention, leading to less focus on their inspection of your property.
When it comes to selecting a scent when staging your home, the key is to keep it simple, subtle and appropriate.
What would your target buyer expect?
Think of your target buyer as well. If your home is a minimalist modern apartment, then the crisp clean scents would reflect that. For an elder buyer, sandalwood and warming fragrances would reassure them of warmth in winter.
With these things in mind, you should be well on your way to creating a positive, lasting impression on potential buyers.
Oh, and if this has your nose twitching you might like this article. Researchers in Belgium found the scent of chocolate had a great positive effect on bookstore sales.
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