The Best Scent for an Open House (A Guide for Realtors and Home Stagers)

How to scent a home for an open house or showing: which scents feel clean and welcoming, where to place them, and what to avoid.

Buyers decide how they feel about a home in the first few seconds, and smell is part of that. The goal isn't to make a house smell "perfumed". It's to make it smell clean, cared for and easy to imagine living in.

What to aim for

• Clean and fresh: it suggests the home is well kept.
• Light and neutral: it shouldn't be the first thing people comment on.
• Consistent: one scent through the home, not a different one in every room.

Scents that work

• Thé Blanc: white tea and aloe. Clean, calm, universally liked.
• Grand Foyer: bright bergamot and white florals. Polished, like a hotel lobby.
• Fig & Cashmere: green fig and soft musk. Warm and homey without being sweet.

What to avoid

• Strong food scents like baking or cinnamon. They can feel like they're covering something.
• Heavy smoky or very sweet scents.
• Candles during showings: an open flame in a house full of strangers is a risk.

Where to place diffusers

1. Entryway: the first impression.
2. Kitchen edge or dining area: away from the stove.
3. Main bathroom: a 100 ml travel diffuser.

Set them out a day before, so the scent has settled.

For realtors and stagers

If you stage homes regularly, a signature scent becomes part of your brand. We offer trade pricing for realtors, stagers and property managers: apply for a trade account.

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