The Sniff Test

What do you like to smell when you walk into a house that you’re considering buying and making your home?

Do you notice the smell?

Do you remember the house by the smell?

What smell would make you take that home off your list of possibilities?

We all weigh the perception of different senses differently. Smell is just one that is more important to some. There are those of us may not be concerned about street noise, while others absolutely must have bright sunlight.

Hopefully, when you visit a property for sale any odor there belongs to the current residents not the house or the neighborhood.

Suggestions abound regarding what scent sells a house. Sellers watch the “sell it” shows on TV, read articles and get advice from friends. They light candles scented with everything from pumpkin to ocean breezes. They bake bread and cookies. They plug in air fresheners. Sellers take note: buyers walk in and wonder what the seller is trying to cover up.

My favorite scent in a house is none at all! No mustiness, no pet odors (including pet food), no potpourri, no strong cleansers or disinfectants and no hint of last-night’s-dinner. It can be done. A house cleaned and prepped for the market should be in this condition anyway.

What scent do you think sells a house?