Ask most people which sense has the greatest influence on a buying decision, and they’ll likely answer sight. Buyers arrive with a list of wants and needs and immediately begin evaluating whether the property checks those boxes. Hearing is often a close second. Excessive noise from busy roads, airports, or other nearby activities can quickly move a home off a buyer’s shortlist, while the peaceful sounds of nature can have the opposite effect.
Touch matters as well. Buyers often look for subtle clues about a home’s quality and upkeep, noticing things like loose fixtures, sticking doors, or soft, springy floors. While sight, sound, and touch all contribute to both the logical and emotional sides of the decision-making process, smell stands apart.
Unlike our other senses, smell is processed in a part of the brain closely tied to memory and emotion. According to a study published by Harvard Medical School, scent signals travel through the olfactory system to areas of the brain responsible for learning, emotion, and memory. Researchers note that smells can create lasting associations, and even decades later, a familiar scent can instantly trigger vivid memories and emotions. In fact, odor-evoked memories tend to be more emotional and often reach further back into our lives than memories triggered by other senses.
That’s why the smell of a home can have such a powerful impact on a buyer’s experience. A clean, fresh-smelling home creates a positive impression, while unpleasant odors can be difficult to overcome.
Ironically, strong air fresheners and heavily scented cleaning products can be just as problematic as the odors they’re intended to mask. Buyers may wonder what the seller is trying to cover up. In most cases, the best scent is no scent at all—just a clean, well-maintained home.
If you’re hoping to create that “new home” feeling, fresh paint and new carpet can help. If painting, consider investing in a high-quality paint product. Lower-quality paints sometimes leave behind lingering sour odors that can detract from an otherwise positive showing experience.
A buyer may not remember every detail they saw during a showing, but they’ll almost certainly remember how the home made them feel—and smell often plays a bigger role in that than most people realize.
The Connections Between Smell, Memory, and Health- Harvard Medical School