It’s natural to focus on the appearance of your home when you’re staging it for sale.
But fragrance is also matters.
And some fragrances work better than others.
Does a fragrance matter when selling my home?
Yes, scent is essential when you try to sell a house. If there’s a bad smell in the property, most buyers won’t want to buy it.
They’ll often demand a survey to find out the cause. And their offer will go down – or disappear altogether.
By contrast, an excellent fragrance can put your buyers at ease.
It’s a sign that the building has no mould or dampness. And usually comes hand-in-hand with excellent ventilation.
Your estate agent will often recommend scent when you try to sell. Usually, simple is better.
You don’t want to overdo it! Less can undoubtedly be more in the case of scents, so try out some locations around the house to see how it works.
You wouldn’t want to overpower prospective new owners with a strong sensory blast that makes them feel like they are tasting it!
Popular fragrances for homes
Sandalwood
Reed diffusers are in all types of shops these days, and one of the familiar scents being sold is sandalwood.
It has become so popular that it was voted the most appealing scent for living rooms and home offices.
Citrus
Citrus fruit tastes nice and can be particularly useful when selling a house, mainly used in bathrooms.
A study into stress by Japanese scientists found that lemon is the number one for mood-boosting and can help relieve stress.
Bergamot and lime are also great options.
Jasmine
Jasmine is known for its calming properties. This can be especially useful during the stressful process of selling a property.
Consider adding some to one of the bedrooms, or the hallway.
Putting this scent near your visitors’ entrance may help reduce some pre-viewing anxiety for both parties!
Cinnamon
When you smell cinnamon, you think of Christmas or at least winter.
If you’re selling your house at that time of year, consider it your lead scent through the property.
Just don’t overdo it, as cinnamon can be pretty overpowering.
Vanilla
Vanilla is probably one of the most popular fragrances for homes. Believed to relieve stress and anxiety, it could be an asset in trying to complete a house sale.
This could be a great kitchen scent and might create the impression you are a culinary genius, too!
What impacts the fragrance I should choose?
Estate agent advice
Ask your estate agent for their opinion on the scent. They should have experience with this, if they’ve been staging homes for a long time.
They could give some insightful opinions on the best one to choose. Listen to these.
Effect you want to create
This can vary based on the type of house you own. For example, a log cabin or listed property may benefit from musky smells.
While a newly built, large, detached house will want something light and airy.
Try a few different variations and then walk around your house. Get some friends and family to give their opinions, too.
Decide how each scent makes you feel and then choose the one that’s most likely to create a great sale.
Masking negative smells
You could choose smells to combat a particularly negative odour in a part of your house.
In this case, a strong one is often best. Just make sure that you keep the scent consistent across all the rooms of your house.
Otherwise, it can become too confusing.
Time of year
Your choice of fragrance can depend on the month you’re selling in.
During the winter, warmer scents are ideal. Cinnamon or pine often fit this description.
Meanwhile, in the summer, you want something lighter and fresh. Citrus or linen scents are popular.
Should I clean my house first before choosing a scent?
The incredible array of scents isn’t going to sell the house by themselves.
So, before polluting the senses with something vibrant, give your house the once over. People shop with their eyes first and foremost!
Keeping the scent theme close to heart though, concentrate on elements that may give off the wrong impression and odour.
For example, you may want to clean:
- Sofas and upholstery
- Curtains
- Carpets
- Pet products.
Both their presentation and fragrance will be very noticeable to those checking your property.
Dirty, smelly ones will stand out a mile. And clean and fragrant ones will stand out even more.
What does the research say about house scents?
Research has shown that pine can promote feelings of well-being. In addition, both lavender and coffee go down well too.
Freshly baked bread has always been a winner.
Fresh linen can strike a chord, too. In a recent survey, it was found that this scent resonates with millennials more than anyone else!
The final impact a scent makes also depends on potential buyers.
Research shows that individuals’ senses of smell depend on about 400 genes, which have 900,000 combinations!
In other words, each person’s sense of smell varies widely.
