Can you smell your home?
/What does your house smell like? Not after you have cleaned all day or baked cookies, but when you walk in the door after being gone for a while, for example when you have been away for a few days on vacation. I’ll bet you have noticed the smell of other people’s houses when you first enter. Have you noticed that after a while you don’t really smell their house either? Sensory adaptation is the fancy term for this phenomenon, and it simply means that the longer you smell a scent the less you respond and just become used to it. This could be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing if the scent is not all that pleasant. I think there is a commercial that refers to it as being “nose blind.”
The scent of your home is a collection of all the people, things and furry creatures that reside inside as well as the activities that occur there like cooking, cleaning, laundry, or home improvement projects. Some scents like fresh baked cookies are pleasant, but some fall into the strong odor category. Did someone forget to take out the trash after dinner last night? Are you overdosing your laundry with too many fabric softener scent pellets? Do you have pets? Old carpeting? A leaky basement? Does a smoker live here? I will bet you can form a mental opinion just thinking about each of these smells.
Consider the scent of your home when you are getting ready to list it. Have someone come visit who doesn’t live with you or visit regularly and give you a scent audit! You may pass with flying colors or find that you need to do a little work. Usually, offending odors can be minimized by a good cleaning session, opening some windows, and perhaps upgrading your homes HVAC filters to get some fresh air circulating. There are also quite a few stand-alone air filtration devices on the market that can help with more heavy-duty odors if you have determined they are not related to any water leaks, mold, or mildew. Also keep in mind that although a scented candle here and there may be pleasant to you, potential buyers may be allergic to strong perfume scents or find them just as nasally offensive as cigarette smoke. Aim for a neutral, “clean” smell in your home when it is being shown and if you do use fragrances or air fresheners, consider gentle smells that mimic nature like mild mint, lavender, or other herbal scents.
Just remember that next to curb appeal, the scent of your home catches the attention of buyers as they enter. Don’t underestimate how much influence the smell of your home can have on that most important first impression!
...."You've Got A Friend in Real Estate"
Jarod Tanksley 615.403.8265
Brentview Realty 615.373.2814
