Skip the Freshly Baked Cookies—These Are the Scents That Sell Homes Faster
Your open house needs this other warm treat.
Published Aug 4, 2022 4:05 PM
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Turning the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and sticking in a batch of chocolate chip cookies just before an open house is a tried-and-true tactic that real-estate agents have employed for years. But does a whiff of freshly baked cookies really make a house feel like home? Apparently, all this time they’ve been warming up the wrong treat. A recent survey from GetAgent revealed that this sweet scent is no longer the front-runner when it comes to wooing prospective buyers. Another goodie straight from the kitchen is: freshly baked bread.
Out of the 1,500 participants polled, 37 percent agreed that the aroma of a just-out-of-the-oven loaf would make them feel more inclined to buy. The study referenced research that suggests this specific scent can propel us back to our childhood and prompt nostalgic memories that make us feel comfortable and at ease…you know, like you want to sit down, kick your feet up, and potentially put in an offer. Fresh linen, brewed coffee, new carpet, and cut grass rounded out the rest of the top five most-enticing smells.
Good news, sellers: You don’t actually have to light the stove, start a load of laundry, or crank the lawn mower to turn up the appeal for prospective buyers. We found a pizza(!) candle with base notes of baked bread and rosemary, a warm linen room spray with a touch of lavender, a cozy café-inspired fragrance card, and an earthy oil diffuser that might seal the deal with a sniff.
