Best Smell for a House Showing

[daniellewiley]

We've been trying to sell our 115-year-old Victorian for about a year, now. We've just listed with a new realtor, and have some very promising showings coming up, the first of which is this coming Saturday.

House smells are so important, and I'm wondering what you all cook when you show your house? Or want it to smell good? I know lots of people do apple pie, or simmer spices, but Saturday's weather is breezy and spring-like, and I don't really want to have autumnal smells going on.

I was thinking maybe chocolate chip cookies? And then maybe I could leave some out for them? Can you all think of something else that is more springlike? These will be frequent entertainers, and one of them will be headmaster of the chi chi private school here. That's really all I know.

Thanks!

[wattacetti]

Bake some bread, or have something with vanilla, but cinnamon's always good.

[Marlene]

I just went through this and I always made cinnamon bread in the bread maker when I knew a showing was coming up.

[Mayhaw Man]

Chicken and Dumplings. Cookie smells are ok and everthing, but chicken and dumplings, well...I would think pretty hard about buying a house trailer with a broken washing machine in the front yard and an old car seat from a 70 Nova on the front porch if they had a good batch of chicken and dumplings going on the stove.

[fiftydollars]

Would bacon be inappropriate?

Or maybe baking cookies might be more suitable.

[jscarbor]

I would say no on bacon. The initial smell of bacon is great but within a few houors it is fairly geasy smelling.

I think a bread would be great. and there is never a bad time to make choc chip cookies.

[*Deborah*]

My initial thought was to mull some cider with cinnamon and whole cloves...but I know what you mean about spring. My second thought was something old-fashioned (to go with the house), like gingerbread or other spice cake but again, that's not very seasonal. How about lemon pound cake, something like that? Sweet but fresh smelling...I'd also put a pot of coffee on maybe, even people who don't like coffee like the smell.

[snowangel]

We put our house on the market in January of 2004. The week following, it went unbelievably below zero, and then snowed a month. It took another two weeks for showings to start happening. I was getting desperate.

So, on that fateful Friday, I was bound and determined to make a lovely meal for the family (not thinking there would be a showing).

So, I did the braised bacon from the Zuni Cafe cookbook. It was done when the Call came that there was to be a showing. So, I turned off the oven, removed it, foiled it, stuck it outside (colder than the fridge, remember). This was sort of a nightmare because the showing was in 15 minutes, and the kids had just gotten home from school, and were having their snack, so I had to clean up after that, and get the muddy boot prints off the floor.

But, the house smelled divine, and we had three offers. One was absolutely outstanding. So, the kids and I decended on friends once again and the deed was done. We did wear out our welcome at several places while we were trying to sell the place.

But, when we returned home about 4 hours later, the house still smelled wonderful.

Bacony goodness.

[rosebud]

When my DH was studying to be a Real Estate Agent, he was told to go buy the uncooked cookies in the roll, slice them and stick them in the oven. You aren't trying to impress your foody friends with your culinary expertise--you are trying to sell your house. This is easy and it works. Besides, the only clean-up involves the sheet you bake the cookies on. Save your cooking efforts for people who will appreciate it.

Edited April 15, 2005 by rosebud (log)

[highchef]

Vanilla is a male turnon....with cinnamon or something else, it's been tested, and I assume by testes to be very attractive to males... like 1/2 a couple?

[jess mebane]

vanilla, baby. Its lack thereof is what held Annette Bening's character's RE success back in American Beauty. Well, vanilla and middle-American WASP ennui, of course.

Edited April 15, 2005 by jess mebane (log)

[Trishiad]

I am a real estate agent and although I think it's nice to put something out as it encourages potential buyers to linger a bit, I don't think it's a good idea to cook something just so the house smells nice. Buyers will see right through you. If it doesn't FEEL like home making it smell artificially like home won't get it sold. Often a buyer will think you're trying to hide something.

Truly, the best thing you can do is clean the house really well because it gives the impression that you have taken good care of the structure, stage it well so it feels comfortable and roomy, and go out so they can talk candidly right then and there and feel comfortable exploring cabinet and closet space. If they are tempted to write an offer they won't have to go home and talk about the ugly carpet or wonder if the pantry is large enough over dinner, they'll write an offer now.

good luck. I wish you multiple offers,

trish

[Raoul Duke]

I'd buy a house if it smelled like kielbasa and sauerkraut!

[emmalish]

Vanilla is a male turnon....with cinnamon or something else, it's been tested, and I assume by testes to be very attractive to males... like 1/2 a couple?

←

OMG, I'm assuming you meant to say "tests"?

In my opinion, I'd stick with baking and not "cooking". I think everyone who's ever lived in an apartment will agree that a stranger's cooking always smells gross.

Baking, however, smells homey. My first choice would be something cinnamon-ey (I've heard the same thing about cinnamon being one of the most attractive smells to men). I understand your concern about it being a "fall" scent though. But keep in mind, what's the weather like where you are? Even though it's spring, when it's cold and rainy, cinnamon is still a very comforting smell.

Otherwise, I'd go for some sort of cookies. I like the idea of lemon. Perhaps you could zest some lemons (that's a smell that lingers), and then also leave the cookies out for the prospective buyers.

Edited April 15, 2005 by emmalish (log)

[jtcookie]

We've had success with viewings that were supported by a fresh baked cookie aroma (hazelnuttiness permeating the kitchen), and a pot of coffee warming on the kitchen counter.

Make sure you're ready to serve them though, because we had several requests one cold winter afternoon!

John

[Tess]

I make chai a lot and always get compliments on the smell. Making some and offering it to drink might not be a bad idea. I have to say, though, I find sweet baking smells kind of a turn-off if I'm not cooking the stuff myself or getting ready to eat it. If I were showing a house, I would probably invest in some good kitchen candles to dispel any scents from my adventurous cooking, and possibly light some other high-quality candles elsewhere in the house. (I'm a fan of Aveda candles and have a couple of citrus candles from Williams-Sonoma in the kitchen.)

Strangely, the most compliments I ever got on the smell of my house were when I tried to reduce red wine too quickly on my stove and burned it! Not going to do that intentionally, however.

[EricaL]

I don't eat animal flesh, so the smell of cooking flesh in a home I was considering purchasing would turn me off.

I'd stay with something safe, like bread. Is there a person on planet earth that does not like the smell of freshly baked bread?

Erica

[lamb]

I've sold two homes without a real estate agent, showing on my own. Apple pie with lots of cinnamon always brought a smile to the prosective buyers faces. I also set my dining room table, fully, with good china, napkins and wine glasses, along with a fresh flower centerpiece. The flowers only needed to be replaced every week, and since we sold both properties within three weeks time, it wasn't much of an inconvenience. Sparkling clean bathrooms is also very important.

Good luck!

[NulloModo]

I'd go with lemon bars. They are springy, they smell nice, and who doesn't love lemon bars?

[daniellewiley]

Chicken and Dumplings. Cookie smells are ok and everthing, but chicken and dumplings, well...I would think pretty hard about buying a house trailer with a broken washing machine in the front yard and an old car seat from a 70 Nova on the front porch if they had a good batch of chicken and dumplings going on the stove.

←

Mayhaw Man, I just found out that they are moving here from Lafayette, Louisiana. Maybe you're on to something?

[Jean Blanchard]

Chicken and Dumplings. Cookie smells are ok and everthing, but chicken and dumplings, well...I would think pretty hard about buying a house trailer with a broken washing machine in the front yard and an old car seat from a 70 Nova on the front porch if they had a good batch of chicken and dumplings going on the stove.

←

Mayhaw Man, I just found out that they are moving here from Lafayette, Louisiana. Maybe you're on to something?

←

[Jean Blanchard]

I'd go with lemon, maybe some mint. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch.

[mjr_inthegardens]

Natto and Durian shishkabobs?

[daniellewiley]

Chicken and Dumplings. Cookie smells are ok and everthing, but chicken and dumplings, well...I would think pretty hard about buying a house trailer with a broken washing machine in the front yard and an old car seat from a 70 Nova on the front porch if they had a good batch of chicken and dumplings going on the stove.

←

Mayhaw Man, I just found out that they are moving here from Lafayette, Louisiana. Maybe you're on to something?

←

My realtor emailed me, and said she'd like to leave them a traditional drink (non-alcoholic, unfortunately) from Louisiana. Or maybe a Louisiana flower arrangment. Any ideas?

Apparently, they fell in love with a house in another neighborhood that was just taken off the market. They want a beautiful entryway (which we have - tons of carved wood and a completely circular room with a full window seat and rounded windows - it's the first floor of a turret) and a house that is great for entertaining (which ours is - circular first floor plan and two and a half lots). I think she wants them to see all of the entertaining possibilities when they walk in.

[highchef]

Vanilla is a male turnon....with cinnamon or something else, it's been tested, and I assume by testes to be very attractive to males... like 1/2 a couple?

←

OMG, I'm assuming you meant to say "tests"?

In my opinion, I'd stick with baking and not "cooking". I think everyone who's ever lived in an apartment will agree that a stranger's cooking always smells gross.

Baking, however, smells homey. My first choice would be something cinnamon-ey (I've heard the same thing about cinnamon being one of the most attractive smells to men). I understand your concern about it being a "fall" scent though. But keep in mind, what's the weather like where you are? Even though it's spring, when it's cold and rainy, cinnamon is still a very comforting smell.

Otherwise, I'd go for some sort of cookies. I like the idea of lemon. Perhaps you could zest some lemons (that's a smell that lingers), and then also leave the cookies out for the prospective buyers.

←

Actually I was being a smartass..I apologize.

And if they're coming from Lafayette, make a gumbo..make em feel right at home.

I'm serious.