Successful real estate professionals rely on a range of marketing techniques to sell apartments. Those who close the most sales understand how to use advertising and staging to appeal to buyers and influence their final decisions. In recent years, countless Realtors have also begun harnessing the power of scent to inspire house hunters. Agents often work with scent professionals, who can help make apartment marketing more effective. Correctly used, the right fragrances create powerful first impressions and dramatically increase clients’ interest in homes.

Aromas Impact Buyers’ Emotions

Using fragrance to impress buyers works because scents have a fast, powerful impact on the human brain. The brain relies on a fairly complex process to register the effects of hearing, taste, touch, and sight. However, when a person gets a whiff of an odour, the brain bypasses all that circuitry, and an impression goes directly to the memory and emotional centres.

That is why entering a space with cinnamon traces in the air can instantly evoke thoughts of a cosy home. Some fragrances create a clean, fresh aura that feels like spring, while others can give an uptown home a relaxing, tropical vibe.

Scent Can Create a Halo Effect

Real estate experts use ambient scenting to produce powerful first impressions when visitors enter properties. The technique is an effective tool, and it can lead to the halo effect, which means visitors instantly get a sense that an apartment building has certain qualities, such as being nice or cosy. Essentially, the fragrance causes a mental reaction to sensory input.

Because of the halo effect, potential buyers who enter a lobby and immediately get a good feeling unconsciously transfer that perception to the entire building. Research on scent marketing shows that the impact can increase the perceived value of homes.

Choosing the Right Fragrance Is Essential

With so much evidence of scent marketing’s effectiveness, it might seem logical that any pleasant fragrance would help increase sales. However, there is a science to creating the desired impression, and it involves dispersing just enough of specific scents. Using potpourri, for instance, can be distracting since visitors automatically try to identify various odours instead of focusing on the home.

Successful agents understand that house hunters are not there to process fragrances. They are trying to decide if an apartment is a place they want to live. With that in mind, scent specialists typically recommend dispersing distinct essential oils to create various reactions. For example:

  • Vanilla: Placed in kitchens, vanilla creates a cosy feeling. It can also evoke a sense of exclusivity and luxury in high-end homes.
  • Pine and Cedar: Two of the least distracting scents, pine, and cedar are often used to show homes in the winter to provide a sense of nature.
  • Green Tea: The lively, crisp aroma of green tea generates a sense of harmony. Its fresh, clean scent frequently appeals to budget-conscious, first-time home buyers.

It is becoming common for real estate professionals to disburse ambient scents in apartments they show. The right fragrances can positively influence buyers and help create specific impressions. Various aromas may help increase the perceived value of properties. Some can also invoke a homey sense that leaves buyers feeling that a specific apartment is right for them.