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Smell Is OK ... Stink Is Not!

By
Real Estate Agent with Associate Broker at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Georgia Properties 256152

We used to have a Golden Retriever. Love that dog, and she loved us. The only problem was that although she was limited in her access to our home, all retriever breeds emit oils to their skin to aid in shedding water, and that oil gets on furniture and carpets. They also shed like crazy. After being away on vacation, I noticed that our house had a smell from the dog. We didn't notice it until we were away for awhile. So we took steps to correct the problem permanently, and the dog still loved us!

Home sellers do everything they can to make their house look as beautiful as possible, yet appealing to home buyers’ other senses can be just as important --  especially when it comes to the sense of smell.

While you may not think your home has a smell to it, freshening the air and filling the home with sweet aromas can do wonders in making a favorable impression.

Most people know the old trick of baking bread or cookies to entice the noses of those looking around a home. That fresh bread smell is achieved by slicing open a large loaf of bread, dropping in vanilla essence and popping the loaf into the oven at medium heat for a half-hour before the showing.

REALTORS® also recommend the smell of cinnamon, French vanilla, butter cream or coffee filling the air to perk up those looking around.

“Scent impacts the atmosphere,” said Michelle Bardwell, an aroma therapist in Dallas, Texas. “You can create a delightful but subtle, aromatic space by using therapeutic grade essential oils.”

Bardwell recommends using cardamom essential oil in the kitchen to create a sense of warmth, lavender essential oil for the bedroom to evoke thoughts of relaxation, and a combination of eucalyptus and ravintsara for the bathroom.

“This will give the bathroom a fresh, clean aroma, and simultaneously kill bacteria and viruses on surfaces and in the air,” she said. “Put several drops directly on surfaces and wipe down, and you can even put a few drops on the shower floor and in the toilet.”

Scented candles are another way to achieve a fragrant aroma in the air, but there’s not always time to let them burn before a home showing. Electrical plug-in products with fragrance and potpourri pots also are effective. 

Of course, pets odors must be addressed and be sure to check for smells coming from your refrigerator and garbage cans.

                “You want to send a positive image about every aspect of your home,” Bardwell said. “Kitchen trash does not send a positive message.”

Scents register in our brain and frequently remind us of our own experiences. Create pleasant aromas throughout the house to help the homebuyer make a positive connection and a faster sale.

Comments (4)

Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

One man's smell is another man's stink Ron. The cloying smell of those pot pourri thingamajigs really irritates me, yet I seem to be the only human being alive who thinks this way.

Apr 28, 2012 11:43 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

If given the choice between the smell of dog or burning candles, I'd choose neither. 

Dog urine may contaminate the floors and worse.

Burned candles permeate the air with microscopic particles that get in your lungs.

 

Apr 28, 2012 11:46 PM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Ahh Lenn, you're such a bundle of joy on Sunday mornings.

Apr 28, 2012 11:51 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Ron. A great title caught my attention and your post hit the target. Artificial, is artificial. I choose clean.

Apr 29, 2012 12:20 AM