As a real estate professional I hear it often. What is that smell? There are of course good smells and bad smells and sometimes this is up to your own personal preference. No one wants to smell garbage, dirty laundry, pet odors, urine, mold or mildew or that wet stagnant smell. Potential buyers need to feel comfortable and be able to think about how they might arrange their furniture or hang photos. They do not need to be wondering how they can remove the “stink”.
We need to be careful to not mask these smells but rather eliminate them. Once eliminated then you might find it appealing to add a bit of “good smell” to your home. Research says that certain smells attach to our emotional self. smells or fragrances from our past that were pleasant experiences bring back positive memories.
Have you been to the local mall lately? Stores are using fragrances to get you to take out your card. Its working. Does this marketing work for home selling? Research says yes!
My personal favorite is apple cinnamon. It reminds me of my Grandma’s pies, piping hot coming out of the oven. I especially love this around the holidays. Lavender is another common fragrance that is said to be calming. Do you want your potential buyers to feel relaxed as they tour your home? The rage this time of year is pumpkin. We find it in everything from candles to coffee, ice cream to snack cakes.
Now that we have covered “what stinks”, we also need to listen to this huge bit of advice. Invite in a few friends that can be honest with you. Ask them if they smell any smells in your home. We grow accustomed to our own environment and often times can no longer recognize or notice an odor, but your friends will.
Kim Woehl is a real estate professional with Keller Williams Premier Realty. Before you list your home with someone else, consider giving me a call. It might make scents! 651-214-1459
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