Baking cookies before an open house to fill the air with an appealing smell may be old advice, but it has new scientific backup. A study asked people from a wide variety of cultures to rank odors from most to least appealing. The clear winner across cultures was a classic ingredient in baked goods: vanilla. It was followed by citrus and floral scents.
Other studies on scent marketing have shown that people appear to respond positively to scented environments, spending more time and money in them than in unscented spaces. Some major homebuilders have even used commercial scent diffusers to enhance the atmosphere in their model homes. Should you follow their lead, though?
Consider carefully before introducing a new scent to a property you are showing. Many people are sensitive to odors and it’s easy to overdo it with sprays, scented candles, or portable diffusers. You also don’t want visitors to think you’re trying to cover up a problematic odor like smoke or mold.
If you or your sellers do decide to add a whiff of something nice to the air at a listing, keep it subtle. Try letting some fresh air in first to clear any stale smells, and then start with less scent than you think you’ll need – unless you’re baking cookies, in which case, the more the merrier!