How do vendors get the right smell for a successful home sale?

In a recent survey of home buyers by property marketing, content and home staging company A Passion for Homes, the worst thing to encounter on a property viewing is a bad smell! Accounting for almost a third of the results, it is no surprise to most estate agents and property professionals that smells have come top of the poll, as they are instantly off-putting, stay in the buyers’ memory (and maybe on their clothes too!) long after they have left the property, and are notoriously difficult to banish.

Oliver Clarke, Sales Manager for prime Surrey agent Barton Wyatt agrees,

“Homes with odours can be awkward for us agents.  Wet dogs, cigarette smoke and sometimes strong spicy food smells are guaranteed to put buyers off.  Extreme smells obviously need dealing with – poor plumbing or in one case rotting carcasses of rats under the floor boards – had to be dealt with prior to putting the houses on the market.’’

But, over-doing the intensity of pleasant smells can be a problem too, and can leave the potential buyer wondering what problems the vendor is trying to mask.

“We sold one house which we called ‘Jo Malone Home’” remembers Oliver, “there were dozens of diffusers all blending into a fruity, floral unpleasant odour that permeated every breath you took.’’

It might sound obvious and over-said, but traditional smells that work well to create a homely and inviting ambience are fresh coffee, baking bread, flowers, and freshly cut grass.  Or most buyers are really happy with the good old fashioned smell of fresh air!

onturs.com flowers and coffee pot in kitchen

Pic: onturs.com

So, what advice can we give to home owners, in the most tactful of ways of course!

Suggest they make an action plan to make their home ready for sale – which includes the importance of deep cleaning it thoroughly, and pin pointing the source of any potential pong! Pets, drains, old carpets, old trainers – they all add to the cocktail of nasty niffs!

bagthebox.com old trainers

Pic: bagthebox.com

Circulating fresh air through the home regularly will help, as will the addition of subtle fragrance. Interiors expert and TV personality Amanda Lamb suggests different scents in different rooms to create unique atmospheres,

“In the kitchen, I like sweet foodie scents such as raspberry, marshmallow and rose, whilst in the bedroom, I like to go for soft, calming and gentle fragrances to help me unwind and relax.”

There are many ranges of air freshener products to choose from, including the Life Scents range from Air Wick that offers vendors a mix of fragrances. Some of these products are automatic sprays, so vendors won’t have to think about turning anything on – this product refreshes throughout the day and night.

But if the smell is stale tobacco or pet urine, then the problem is more challenging.

Soft furnishings and curtains can be changed if washing doesn’t work (and the vendor can take any new purchases with them when they move) but the most likely areas to have absorbed the smell is the walls, flooring and furniture – both expensive and time consuming to replace.

So, here are a few suggestions to attempt to deal with the problem.

Get a professional to deep clean carpets and furniture as these are the main sources of absorbed smell. If this is not an option, try sprinkling baking soda, leave overnight and vacuum in the morning. This may take a few attempts!

Everything needs to be cleaned and wiped – including the light bulbs – a notorious little emitter of nicotine smells every time it’s turned on!

Set out bowls of white vinegar in the room overnight in different areas to absorb the smell – again, for a number of nights. Combine this with piles of crumpled up newspaper and leave the room closed each night.

If the carpets and underlay need to be replaced, then wash and seal the floors underneath first, to stop any smells returning from underneath the new flooring.

Try cleaning the walls if they can be sponge washed, with a nonabrasive, all-purpose cleaner. If this doesn’t work, then repainting may be the only option. Wash the walls first, and then use a sealant to ‘capture’ the ingrained smell first before painting.

With all DIY and suggestions, it pays to get the advice of a professional first, and use their services to get the best results. I’m sure, as estate agents in local communities, you know good trades people, but if not, there are a number of websites that can help vendors find someone reliable, such as checkatrade.com. Banishing very bad nicotine stains is a job for the professionals.

blueys.net.au nicotine stained walls

Pic: blueys.net.au

Vendors’ homes only get one chance to make a first impression on home buyers – they need to work hard to ensure that first impression is not a bad smell!

If you have any tips on dealing with bad smells, please get in touch!

 

 

 

 

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 28/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   tlyfe the tenant App gets huge marketing boost from national team tour from the Openbrix team As many will know tlyfe, powered by OpenBrix, is the UK’s most innovative tenant lifecycle app, taking the stress out of the move in process and helping to…
Read More
Breaking News

Over Four Out Of Five Tenants Unaware Of The Renters Reform Bill

OVER four out of five tenants remain unaware of the Renters (Reform) Bill and its contents, according to new research. The data comes from a representative survey of over 2,000 private renters conducted by the TDS Charitable Foundation, which works to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector. The Bill…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

What is Property Damage in a Personal Injury Case?

Property damage refers to any damage that affects things instead of a person. This might include damage to your car, house, etc. As such, it is not regarded as a personal injury case. However, when an individual is injured when the accident occurs, the affected person can file a personal injury claim. A typical example…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove comment on new 99% first-time buyer mortgage product

Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert said: “It’s encouraging to see lenders continuing to try to innovate in the mortgage market, even after the government abandoned its own plans to encourage lower deposit mortgages in the Spring Budget. This new product has the potential to help some first-time buyers who fit the affordability criteria, but are struggling…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 27/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Coadjute ahead of the game as they are already licensed to provide digital TA6 Forms to property stakeholders This week, the Law Society announced its TA6 Form will now include Material Information as per the the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 26/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Sharing Success: The Guild Conference and Awards celebrate Member achievements The QEII Centre in Westminster, London, was abuzz with excitement on Friday, 22 March 2024, as The Guild of Property Professionals hosted its highly anticipated annual Guild Conference and Awards. Under the theme ‘Sharing…
Read More