Good to know   /   Seller Advice   /   Sell Your Home Using The Five Senses

One of the best ways to get your home ready to sell is to remember to use the appeal of all five senses in your marketing. You not only want your home to look great, you want homebuyers to feel welcomed by attractive aromas, soothing music and other ideas that suggest hospitality and a comfortable home. Your buyers will be led to appreciate the home’s environment on every level. 

Sight – Focus on the first things homebuyers will see from the curbside to the living space inside. Make sure the yard is trimmed, flowers are planted, outdoor paint is refreshed, and the walk is freshly swept. Polish or replace the front door hardware and paint the door an eye-catching color. Sweep cobwebs from the entry lights and wasp nests from the porch ceiling. 

Inside, neutral paint and décor help homebuyers visualize themselves in the home. Provide plenty of light by opening curtains and blinds and turning on light fixtures for showings.  Think of all lighting as task-oriented so use dimmers to contrast a bright sunny kitchen and the dining room, or a well-lit bathroom with a more muted bedroom. 

Sound – Put on some relaxing music that slows the pace so homebuyers take their time and see the property thoroughly. Check built-ins, doors and floors for squeaks and creaks and get noisy fixtures oiled or repaired.  Hardwood floors are warm, elegant and in demand. To soften footsteps and protect floors in highly trafficked areas, cover part of the floor in rugs. 

Touch – Homebuyers will open and close doors, open taps, and run their hands across countertops and cabinet, so make sure that all surfaces are sparkling clean. Make sure doors, drawers and windows open smoothly without jerking or pulling. Wipe fingerprints from doors and cabinets and make sure all mirrors, windows and storm doors are clear to see through. Remove anything you don’t want homebuyers to touch, such as breakable table decorations. 

Smell – Homebuyers’ sense of smell is particularly strong. Mustiness simply smells like disuse and you want the buyer to feel they can use every inch of the home. Mildew in wet areas suggests a water leak, so make sure all plumbing is checked and that buyers only smell “clean.” Unwashed laundry and dirty sneakers are kind of the same problem, so you should go through closets and launder clothes that need it. Get rid of stinky old shoes. 

Carpets, curtains and fabric furniture should be steam-cleaned and all bed linens freshly laundered weekly.  

Pets can have the most off-putting odors. Animal fur and dander cause fabric furniture, rugs and bedding to smell, so try using a fabric cleaner or freshener to cut down odor. Wash dogs, their beds and their toys often. Cat boxes should be cleaned daily and always checked before a showing. 

Taste –Treat homebuyers to fresh-baked seasonal cookies, the aroma of coffee or herbal teas in paper cups when you have a showing. You want buyers to make themselves at home. The more comfortable they feel, the closer you are to receiving an offer to buy. Place a stack of flyers touting your home’s features beside the snacks.