My New Blog

We have all been to open houses or showings and have experienced every odor from pleasing to wretched.  Following are some tips from Realtor magazine for home sellers to make sure your house has a pleasant aroma to welcome your visitors and eliminate bad odors as a possible negative when considering your home as their next home!

Sensory research shows that the smell of a home can affect a person's mood, according to Terry Molnar, executive director of The Sense of Smell Institute, a New york-based organization that focuses on the importance of smell to human psychology, behavior, and quality of life.

A light floral fragrance can put people in a more pleasant mood, while citrus scents such as lemon and grapefruit tend to have an energizing affect.  Vanilla actually is one scent that's global in the fact that all people seem to find it comforting and relaxing.

However, you should be careful when adding smells to a home because it can be viewed as an attempt to conceal a bad odor.  And if that is your intent, it can actually make the problem worse.

Here are some ideas from staging professionals regarding odor management:

1.    Take the trash out!  It's simple, but it can make a big difference.  So before every showing, make sure you have emptied all the waste baskets.

2.    Snuff out the smoke.  Eliminate all smoking inside and just outside the house, particularly when the doors or windows may be open.

3.    Cooking prior to showings.  The smell of broccoli, garlic, fish, and eggs (other obscure dishes as well) can linger for a long time after the food has been eaten even.

4.    Pet Management.  Animals can be a big source of smells.  Limit the pet to an outdoor area or a certain room in the house that can be regularly cleaned.  Also, keep the pets bedding cleaned on a regular basis.

There are many other causes and remedies.  These are just a few important issues to consider and act on.

Until next month.  Good selling and good buying!  Call or email me anytime for additional tips or for assistance with selling and/or buying your next home!

Mike