The smell of your home can impact how a buyer perceives it. Follow these steps to help prospective buyers smell the sweet scent of home during showings and open houses.
Strong smells can distract buyers from being able to imagine themselves living in your home. Remember, as the homeowner, you may have grown accustomed to these smells. The first step to eliminating odors before showing your home is to give the house a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. Try to wash or vacuum all fabric items, from bedding to curtains. If the temperature allows it, open the windows and air out your home each day leading up to the showing.
Pets
Regardless of the type of pet you have, their smell can linger in everything from carpets and rugs to furniture. Remove any dog beds or litter boxes before a showing. While there are plenty of products that claim to remove pet smells from your home, they may just mask the smell. Instead, try using baking soda on carpets and furniture by following these steps:
If your carpets and furniture have strong pet odors, you may need to have them professionally steam-cleaned.
Kitchen
Try to avoid cooking anything with a pungent aroma like fish or other meats, if you have showings scheduled. These scents can linger in your home for days and can leave a buyer more focused on a growling stomach than your home. If you have spices in your kitchen, make sure they’re stored in tightly sealed containers. Finally, try not to keep smelly leftovers or expired food in your fridge just in case a viewer looks inside. A fresh box of baking soda can help reduce unpleasant odor inside your refrigerator.
Other areas of the home
There may be items throughout the rest of your home that produce an unpleasant odor, but the following tips will help eliminate any unwanted smells:
While some fragrances like fresh-baked cookies or recently brewed coffee seem like welcoming smells, they might be more distracting. A Washington State University study found that simple odors were less distracting and could lead to increased sales. These scents include vanilla, cedar, cinnamon, citrus, green tea, herbs, and pine.
One of the best ways to help add these fragrances to your home is with an essential oil diffuser. While candles, plug-ins, and air fresheners may create an overwhelming smell for some potential buyers, adding a couple drops of essential oil to a diffuser a few hours before a showing can give your home a more pleasant aroma. Remember to use only one scent in your home if possible. A blend of several fragrances may distract homebuyers when they’re inside your home.
Having a scent that fits your home is an important part of the process. Pine is a welcoming smell, but it might not be the right choice for your house. Pine does fit well for a rustic home in the mountains or woods, while citrus or herbs would be a better fit for a home by the ocean. Also consider the time of year you’re selling your home, as cinnamon and pine are welcoming scents in the winter, while citrus is an appropriate aroma for the summer months.
You put a lot of time and effort into making your home stand out. By following these tips, you can help it smell as good as it looks.
CREDIT: American Lifestyle
In the dynamic and competitive real estate industry, home staging has evolved as a critical factor that significantly impacts the buyer's perspective and the speed of transactions.
In today's competitive real estate industry, brokers and agents are constantly seeking qualified leads to drive business growth. The quest for reliable and cost-effective solutions to acquire leads has become a top priority. Fortunately, platforms like PaytoLet have emerged, offering...
PaytoLet Proptech Startup is Working with Some of the Biggest Real Estate Agents in Nigeria
Apply for Guest Posting