We’ve all had that moment of walking into someone’s home or a store and gagging from a super strong smell. If a scent is too powerful, it’s distracting, making it difficult to make decisions. However, if it is a pleasant subtle smell, it can make shopping more enjoyable. Based on our experience, these are some of the smells you should absolutely keep out of your home when it’s on the market and some of the best scents to help you sell your home.  
Having the wrong smell is worse than not having a smell at all. An off putting smell can turn people away from the home. (No one wants to hang out in a stinky house!)

These Smells Turn Potential Buyer Off:

• Smoke. If you don’t smoke, you’re likely turned off by the smell. Smoke can be off-putting enough that people will judge the house too harshly. They’ll likely be afraid that the smell won’t leave with you. Then they’ll be the ones left to deal with it.
• Pets. While your pets are definitely adorable, many people are allergic to pets. Allergies can cause stuffy noses and sneezing which can be incredibly distracting. Make sure you have staged your home for pets.   Clean those litter boxes and shampoo your carpets if your four legged friends have ever had an accident. 
• Dirty clothes. First off, no one wants to see someone else’s dirty clothes.  Who want’s to move into a house that smells like a gym locker room? They may be out of sight, but your kids dirty socks could still be making a presence. 
• Food. While food can be the best smell in the world if you’re hungry, it can be horrible if you don’t like the food. But let’s say that you just made curry and the scent of the is filling the house. A potential buyer walks in to tour the house, she loves Indian food, but she hasn’t had lunch today. All of a sudden all she’s thinking about is leaving your home and going to get some food. She’s not noticing your beautiful hardwood floors (or any other characteristic of the house). 

Before selling your home, do a deep clean of the house to make sure that any funky scents get eliminated.
But also avoid the traditional “good” smells of a home, like freshly made chocolate chip cookies. (Even though they are delicious.) While the smell might be amazing, it also complex enough to be distracting. According to Eric Spangenberg, of Washington State University, smells like potpourri and baked goods decrease the likelihood of your home being sold. People subconsciously try to figure out what the scent is, instead of focusing on the beauty of your home.
It’s best to stick to simple scents. In fact, if you choose to have a fragrance for your home, stick to one scent for the entire home, to eliminate distraction.

6 of the Best Smells to Sell a House:

1. Vanilla
2. Cinnamon
3. Green tea
4. Citrus
5. Herbs, like rosemary, basil, and thyme
6. Pine and cedar

Make sure the scent aligns with your home. If you live in a charming beachfront home, pine might not be the best scent for the home. Pine would fit much better in a cozy, suburban or mountain home with wood accents. And for the beach home? Stick to something light and fresh, like herbs or citrus.
How the smell is disbursed is important, too. Diffusers work wonders, but they can be overpowering in small rooms. Candles are a great option, but remember that there’s an open flame. Avoid placing them in locations where they could knock over. Oil plug-ins are an amazing alternative, as they can release scented oil over a longer period of time.
Whatever scent you pick, stick with it and remember less is more. 

Getting ready to sell your house?

Trelora real estate serves the Colorado Front Range, Summit County and Seattle Metro Area and our mission is simple: full service real estate for a fraction of the cost. When you hire a traditional agent to help you buy or sell your home, man cave or no, you pay that agent 3-6% of the home’s value.
When you hire Trelora, you pay 1% rather than a variable commission on the price of your home. You’ll also get best-in-class customer service. A team of expert agents who close hundreds of deals per year.