New research highlights the often-overlooked role of scent in the UK housing market, with four in five homebuyers saying a bad smell would deter them from purchasing a property.
According to a survey commissioned by price comparison site HaMuch, 81% of recent buyers said an unpleasant odour would prevent them from properly viewing a property, while 80% confirmed it would reduce the likelihood of making an offer altogether.
The survey of 1,070 individuals who bought a home in the last 12 months identified the three most off-putting smells for prospective buyers: drainage-related odours (cited by 31%), cigarette smoke (25%) and the musty scent associated with mould (25%).
The findings reinforce the importance of first impressions in residential property sales – something well known among estate agents and developers, but often underappreciated by sellers themselves.
INSTANT TURN OFF
Tarquin Purdie, founder and chief executive of HaMuch.com, says: “We’re all well versed on how big of an impact presentation has when trying to find a buyer for your home, ensuring everything is clean and tidy.
“But do we give proper consideration to smell?
“Walking into a foul-smelling room can be an instant turn-off and raises serious doubts in a buyer’s mind about the overall level of care that has been given to the property.”
While removing unwanted odours is essential, HaMuch also explored the role of more appealing scents.
FRESH FLOWERS
A third of buyers (33%) said the smell of fresh spring flowers was the most attractive scent when viewing a home. This was followed by the aroma of freshly baked bread (21%) and coffee (16%)—long favoured by estate agents for their association with warmth and comfort.
Purdie adds: “Our noses become so used to the way our homes smell that it’s hard to judge whether it’s appealing to others. While it can be difficult to fully eliminate ingrained smells like smoke or mould, simple measures like opening windows or adding pleasant scents can have a notable impact on buyer perception.”
