You want prospective home buyers to walk away with the best possible impression when they leave your home and head to the next house for viewing, so at the end of the day when they look back and discuss which properties they liked best (and why) you are on their short list for a return visit.

Home sellers naturally focus on how a home looks more so than the home’s potential impact on the other four senses combined. But let’s not forget, at least for this article, your sense of smell.

Have you ever smelled a wet dog ? How about mildew, cigarette smoke, or cat urine? Get the stinky picture? Foul odors in the home can kill a buyer’s interest quicker than anything else. The reason? If you see a broken fence slat, or an outdated bathroom, or worn carpet the solution is easily identifiable. Fix it, update it, replace it, and so on. When there is an unpleasant odor involved suddenly people think the worst, and may not even get ten steps inside the door before turning to leave, and immediately writing your home off instead of writing an offer. Bad smells affect us more negatively than ugly paint or chipped tile. Even if mitigated, we will always remember that one room that smelled like a cat box.

Here are some tips for dealing with potential odor issues, including ground lemon in the garbage disposal and deodorizing sprays versus scented candles. Think about the aroma of fresh baked bread in the kitchen! Warm and inviting, huh? Everyone remember the Easy Bake Oven ?

You can find more tips for buyers and sellers at our blog page , and if you ever have a question for our team regarding Real Estate in Northwest Indiana let us know by clicking on of the links. We promise to get back to you right away!