Smells That Sell: How Scent is a Seller's New Secret Weapon
If you believe the aroma of freshly baked bread is enough to lure buyers, think again. Selling scents have gone upmarket
Georgia Madden
5 January 2020
When it comes to marketing your property for sale, appearance isn’t the only thing that matters. According to these three experts, scent is the first thing potential buyers notice when they cross your threshold and it’s likely to have a powerful impact on their emotional response to your home. But simply tossing a few freshly baked biscuits on the kitchen bench is no longer going to cut it – the latest selling tool is tailor-made fragrance that’s specifically designed to suit your property and appeal to your target market.
Can scent really help sell a home?
James Kirkland, director of sales and operations at Upside Realty, says:
Yes. Countless studies have shown that smell plays a huge part in how we feel, and that it’s the sense most closely linked to the emotion-processing parts of our brains.
Smell is the first sense engaged when you open the front door of a home. As a result, it plays a huge part in how you respond to a property.
James Kirkland, director of sales and operations at Upside Realty, says:
Yes. Countless studies have shown that smell plays a huge part in how we feel, and that it’s the sense most closely linked to the emotion-processing parts of our brains.
Smell is the first sense engaged when you open the front door of a home. As a result, it plays a huge part in how you respond to a property.
What’s it all about?
Justine Wilson, director and principal stylist at Vault Interiors, says:
Selling a home is about creating an aspirational lifestyle. For example, if you live in the inner-city close to trendy cafes, why not have the fresh scent of coffee throughout the home – it will help reinforce the benefits of living in the home and neighbourhood.
Justine Wilson, director and principal stylist at Vault Interiors, says:
Selling a home is about creating an aspirational lifestyle. For example, if you live in the inner-city close to trendy cafes, why not have the fresh scent of coffee throughout the home – it will help reinforce the benefits of living in the home and neighbourhood.
How can you introduce an appealing scent?
Wilson says:
There are many ways: candles, potpourri, fresh flowers or fragrance diffusers. The trick is to find a scent that suits the property and that has broad appeal.
Thinking of selling? Find a local stylist or property stager on Houzz to get your home into selling shape
Wilson says:
There are many ways: candles, potpourri, fresh flowers or fragrance diffusers. The trick is to find a scent that suits the property and that has broad appeal.
Thinking of selling? Find a local stylist or property stager on Houzz to get your home into selling shape
So, what’s wrong with a fresh loaf of bread?
Andrew O’Keefe, co-founder of Scent Australia, says:
From the research we’ve been shown, the aromas of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee actually put buyers off. Simple and fresh scents are more effective selling tools.
Kirkland says:
The right fragrance can evoke positive memories and improve mood, which is vital when it comes to making that sale.
Buyers are wise to the usual tricks, such as putting vanilla essence in the oven, baking cookies just before an open-home inspection, or even just cracking open a few windows to catch a fresh breeze. We’re looking to elevate the experience to a degree where the buyer incorporates the scent into their decision-making process, and can really see themselves living whatever lifestyle we’re trying to evoke.
However, you need to be subtle with scent, and there’s a real art to getting it right.
Andrew O’Keefe, co-founder of Scent Australia, says:
From the research we’ve been shown, the aromas of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee actually put buyers off. Simple and fresh scents are more effective selling tools.
Kirkland says:
The right fragrance can evoke positive memories and improve mood, which is vital when it comes to making that sale.
Buyers are wise to the usual tricks, such as putting vanilla essence in the oven, baking cookies just before an open-home inspection, or even just cracking open a few windows to catch a fresh breeze. We’re looking to elevate the experience to a degree where the buyer incorporates the scent into their decision-making process, and can really see themselves living whatever lifestyle we’re trying to evoke.
However, you need to be subtle with scent, and there’s a real art to getting it right.
How do you choose the right fragrance to suit a home?
Kirkland says:
There’s no one-size-fits-all fragrance – the smell has to match the property. We consider the target market and what type of prospective buyer you are expecting to come through the door.
Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden
Kirkland says:
There’s no one-size-fits-all fragrance – the smell has to match the property. We consider the target market and what type of prospective buyer you are expecting to come through the door.
Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden
Are many people using tailored scents to sell?
O’Keefe says:
We’re seeing huge year-on-year growth and we believe it’s becoming industry-standard these days. Home builders and property groups are our major clients, but we also cater to real-estate agents and individuals selling their homes.
We scent homes with special diffusers ($180 per month for a medium diffuser for rooms up to 300 square metres, and $150 per month for a micro diffuser for smaller areas).
Most clients use just one scent throughout the entire home, but some choose different scents for different areas. We have a home builder that puts ‘Patisserie’ scent in the kitchen, ‘White Tea’ scent in the bathroom, and ‘Citrus’ in tiled areas.
How to Style Your Home for Sale Like a Pro
O’Keefe says:
We’re seeing huge year-on-year growth and we believe it’s becoming industry-standard these days. Home builders and property groups are our major clients, but we also cater to real-estate agents and individuals selling their homes.
We scent homes with special diffusers ($180 per month for a medium diffuser for rooms up to 300 square metres, and $150 per month for a micro diffuser for smaller areas).
Most clients use just one scent throughout the entire home, but some choose different scents for different areas. We have a home builder that puts ‘Patisserie’ scent in the kitchen, ‘White Tea’ scent in the bathroom, and ‘Citrus’ in tiled areas.
How to Style Your Home for Sale Like a Pro
Which scents appeal to different demographics?
O’Keefe says:
Green/citrus scents are widely appealing.
O’Keefe says:
- Urban professionals: We’d go for something exciting, such as a kiwi, lychee and melon mix with a watery, floral heart.
- Suburban families: A homely fragrance, such as white tea and ginger flowers.
- Coastal retirees: Something oceanic and sophisticated, such as zesty citrus with ozone and black pepper.
Green/citrus scents are widely appealing.
Kirkland says:
Wilson says:
- Coastal homes: Think rosemary, lemon verbena, bergamot or peppermint, which create an invigorating environment.
- Inner-city homes: Create a sense of warmth and maturity with cedar wood or aged vetiver, which have sharp, earthy tones. Or a crispy, lively aroma of green tea, which will create the sense of a quiet retreat from city living.
- Country homes: Consider fresh-fragranced citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges. Or create a warm, welcoming smell in the kitchen with a spray of fresh scented herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or basil.
Wilson says:
- For coastal homes, consider summery tones of coconut and frangipani. This will help buyers envision a relaxed lifestyle in your property.
- If your property is surrounded by lush suburban gardens, select floral tones that bring the outdoors in.
Which smells are off-putting to buyers?
Wilson says:
Kirkland says:
Wilson says:
- Mustiness: This can be a sign of damp or water issues, so a buyer may assume the worst if there’s a musty smell in your home.
- Damp smells: These include wet towels.
- Pets: Be sure to remove any traces of pet scent or urine – steam-clean carpets, hard flooring and sofas before an inspection. And be sure to hide that smelly dog bed in the garage.
- Rubbish: Remove rubbish before an inspection.
Kirkland says:
- Strong household cleaners: Use them at least 24 hours before an inspection and open some windows to air your home after use.
- Overly strong scents: You don’t want to overdo it on any fragrance. If you are using a scented candle or oil burner, for example, turn it off 30 minutes before the inspection begins.
O’Keefe adds:
- Smoky scents: These might work in a whisky bar, but not in a new home.
- Buttery or intense cooking smells: This makes it smell as though someone has just had a cook up, rather than creating a fresh, clean environment.
Could you share any golden nuggets?
Kirkland says:
It’s all well and good to make your home smell great for potential buyers using fragrance, but that may still not work if the source of bad smells remains.
If there’s a bad odour somewhere in your home, track down the source – whether it’s musty curtains, a damp or mouldy area, a litter tray, or shoes near the font door.
And here’s another tip for sellers: add house plants. Greenery is beautiful to look upon and it helps purify the air.
Hard Sell: What Could be Hurting the Value of Your Property?
Kirkland says:
It’s all well and good to make your home smell great for potential buyers using fragrance, but that may still not work if the source of bad smells remains.
If there’s a bad odour somewhere in your home, track down the source – whether it’s musty curtains, a damp or mouldy area, a litter tray, or shoes near the font door.
And here’s another tip for sellers: add house plants. Greenery is beautiful to look upon and it helps purify the air.
Hard Sell: What Could be Hurting the Value of Your Property?
O’Keefe says:
- Avoid overly complex scents: Research shows that simple fragrances are more effective in new-home sales.
- Keep it light: Always err on the side of caution when it comes to scent – it’s there to improve the atmosphere, not dominate it. Have it so light that you almost can’t smell it.
Your turn
Which scents draw you to a home… and which ones put you off? Tell us in the Comments below, save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more expert advice? Don’t miss 8 Ever-Popular Exterior Looks… and How to Create Them
Which scents draw you to a home… and which ones put you off? Tell us in the Comments below, save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more expert advice? Don’t miss 8 Ever-Popular Exterior Looks… and How to Create Them
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Wow, really!!! We have to artifically scent a house to make it sell, along with ' furniture staging', crazy. I understand a bad smell is really off putting (been to a couple of dodgy smelling house inspections, one we nick named dog poo house for obvious reasons). But I think it's getting crazy the things people believe they have to do to sell.
I hear you Jo M - I smiled my way through this and thought 'well when we sell I'm going to repaint all rooms with essential oils and laser a rainbow over it so people think they are buying the Door to Narnia and not a house at all'. But the truth is smell, along with music is incredibly and subconsciously evocative. There is a smell that I couldn't really describe but that has something to do with pine trees and lemon-on-carpets layered with sunshine and ginger pudding that takes me right back to my grandparents home and has me breathing deep whenever I walk into a place that has even a shadow of that, even though my brain knows I'm not there at all.
I'd be hesitant to use scent to sell a home since 18-19% of Australians have been diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivities. Instead, I would use a sprinkle of bicarb and a decent clean with vinegar and water to remove musty old smells. charcoal bags can be good at absorbing smell as well. Personally, no smell is the best smell.