What is that Smell? PrepareYour Home for Sale
"What is that Smell?" asks the Buyer. Whether it's a good smell or a bad smell, too much of either is a bad thing when it comes to selling your home. Buyers will focus on the odor in a house and not focus on more important details about the property. Buyers tend to label houses in order to help them remember salient points about the property. Do your want your house to be remembered as "ash tray house" or "cat pee house"? I don't think so!
Visual and sensory presentation is vitally important in helping you achieve the goal of selling your home for the highest price possible. So, in preparing your home for sale, consider the following:
Bad Smell Sources
It's important to remove sources that create bad smells. Many folks try to eliminate bad smells by using some sort of air freshener. Well...it doesn't work. The bad smell will always filter through and if you use too much of an air freshener product, the buyer will invariably wonder what you're trying to cover up.
Smoking - Buyers will instantly recognize homes where people smoke indoors. In some instances, they can even pick up on smoking that occurs outside. For a non-smoker this is usually a big issue as it often requires the removal of carpets and washing/painting of walls to eliminate the smell entirely. You can help improve this issue by using an ionizer to remove smoke odors and smoking outdoors.
Trash - Empty the trash often. In particular, it's a good rule of thumb to remove the kitchen trash any day the house is going to be shown. Do you store the trash can in the garage? Make sure the lid is tight and secure so that odors don't result from that area as well.
Pets - Pets can be a large source of odor and create a major road block when it comes to selling your property. Often, prospective purchasers will wonder if the odor is coming from the pet or if the pet has soiled the carpet and/or floor making the odor much more difficult and expensive to eradicate. So, if you have pets, it's important to do the following: have your pet bathed regularly, keep all litter boxes immaculately clean, wash pet bedding often.
Cooking - Be careful what you cook and when you cook it. While we all want to be able to enjoy a good meal, be mindful of the lingering effects particularly of eggs, fish, garlic and foods that have been fried.
Carpets - You've stopped smoking inside, you've washed the dog, emptied the trash and stopped cooking your favorite fish dish. Unfortunately, your carpets and upholstery can still be harboring the odors. A thorough cleaning of your carpets, upholstery and curtains may be necessary to eradicate stubborn odors.
Basement - Even dry basements can have a musty odor as they are underground which is naturally damp. Installing a de-humidifier can help eliminate musty/damp odors. If you can, open a window or door to help freshen the air.
Good Smell Sources
Research shows that the smell of a house can affect a person's mood. When preparing your home for sale, it's important to focus on smells that most people find appealing. Be very careful if you're going to introduce any scent to your home. Too much scent can have as much of a negative impact as bad smells (think of the man/woman who wears too much cologne).
Citrus - Lemon and grapefruit scents tend to have an energizing effect that most people find pleasant. Run a lemon through your garbage disposal or burn a citrus scented candle.
Floral - A floral scent tends to create a pleasant atmosphere if it's not overdone. Consider adding a fresh bouquet of flowers as a focal point in your dining or eating area.
Vanilla - Vanilla seems to be the universal scent that people find comforting and relaxing. Cinnamon also seems to create the same effect. Burning a vanilla scented candle or soaking a cinnamon stick in water on the stove can help you achieve a comforting and relaxing atmosphere.
Baked Bread - Everyone seems to enjoy the smell of fresh baked bread. If you can't make the real thing, pour beer into a pan and put it in the oven on low.
To reduce possible accidents, please don't leave any candles lit or the oven/stove on
during a showing appointment.
In conclusion, when it comes to how your home smells, your goal is to leave the buyer with the impression that your home is clean and fresh. Try to maintain a neutral smell when preparing your home for sale. If you feel the need to introduce a scent, try vanilla, cinnamon, lemon or apple scents in small quantities. Remember! Less is better. Overdoing it can have negative results.
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If you, or anyone you know, is considering buying or selling a property, Integrity Residential Brokerage located in Pepperell, MA, would love to hear from you! We strive to offer you the highest level of professional assistance possible making your desires and goals a reality.
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