Lancaster County Staging Tip #2
So let's suppose that you've taken my advice offered in Tip #1 and de-cluttered your home. Time to move on to your homes well, smell. That's right, smell. No matter how good your home looks, do not underestimate what a foul smell can do to ruin its charm! A musty smell, strong pet odors or the smell of last night's Chinese takeout, can lead a buyer to remember your house negatively when compared to your neighbor's.
So what's a pet loving, Chinese food eating homeowner to do? Simple! Follow these three easy steps.
#1 Always empty all of your trashcans before an open house or a showing. This also applies to your pet items. Empty the cat litter, clean out food and water bowls, etc. Getting rid of the source of an offensive smell is step one. Now, we know that you can't just get rid of Fido or Fluffy BUT you can.....
#2 Take your pets with you when you leave. If you're headed to a non-pet friendly place to "wait out" your open house or showing then have a friend or family member pet sit for a few hours.
Oh, a quick side note on this point....I am sure that many of you pet owners out there are absolutely certain that your home doesn't have any sort of pet odor but let me assure you as a non-pet owner, that it probably does. Those of us who don't own inside pets are especially sensitive to these things!
#3 Aromatize! The key to using fragrance to make your home smell good is to NOT overdo it. Bake a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies right before you expect buyers. Nothing is more welcoming then the yummy smell of cookies in the oven! However, some of the best scents to use are those created naturally. You would be surprised how many people have a strong aversion to the smell of vanilla, or anything floral. One excellent idea is to simmer this heavenly concoction on your stovetop a couple of hours before your scheduled showing, then turn off the burner and simply let it sit on your stovetop until you return (recipe courtesy of www.flythroughourwindow.com):
1 thinly sliced apple
2-3 C water
6-8 cinnamon sticks
1 handful of cloves
1 dash of nutmeg
the juice of an orange (or OJ from the fridge)
a splash of vanilla
It seriously smells incredible and will effectively cover up any unpleasant odors without overdoing it!
So what kind of smell does your give off? Have you ever considered what impression potential buyers are getting of your home just by its smell? If not, its time you take a serious "sniff" and consider Staging your Lancaster County home to get it SOLD!
Comments(3)