Is scent the secret of sales success, ask Hertfordshire estate agents

Feb. 11, 2015 - PRLog -- Hertfordshire estate agents have long been telling property sellers to de-clutter and neutralise their decor ahead of a viewings but could it actually be our olfactory system that spurs buyers on to make positive purchasing decisions?

The thought comes off the back of an announcement by leading house builder Barratt Homes, who embarked on a quest to find out what made a house smell like a home. The goal to come up with a fragrance that would be wafted through show homes up and down the country. The theory behind the idea is potential buyers will fall in love with a property enough to purchase it based on the fact it smells like 'home'. During the research stage Barratt conducted a special poll among consumers who indentified that a roast dinner followed by coffee, warm biscuits, pesto pasta and a full English breakfast where the top five smells that made them think of home. The end product is a reed diffuser with hints of roast herbs, coffee beans and caramel - capturing all of the best bits of comfort and homeliness.

Barratt is not the only big name to employ scent selling tactics, add Winkworth Hertfordshire estate agents (http://www.winkworth.co.uk/regions/east). An info graphic by Alternatives Finder made it into the national press the same week as the Barratt news, claiming that 95% of buying decisions are made unconsciously. It's a tactic used by big retailers, such as Disney and Abercrombie & Fitch, who use smells to sway in-store shoppers. This is an important point for those with property for sale in Hertfordshire, as vendors can also influence viewers with a clever combination of aromas.

Of course, the smell of brewing coffee and baking bread has long been touted as a way to win over buyers' hearts but the Alternative Finder's suggestions address really specific issues. Owners of flats and houses for sale in Hertfordshire where the rooms are on the small side should use apple and cucumber scents, as these help people perceive a room as bigger. Those wising to lull viewers into a state of relaxation should use camomile, vanilla and lavender, while the scent of talcum powder arouses feelings of safety and security. In fact, a study by neurologist Dr Alan Hirsch concluded that people are often willing to pay more money for items that are sold in a fragrant setting - and that can include property.

Home sellers in Hertfordshire should be careful, however, that they are prudent when scenting their home as anything heavy handed can actually put people off. The advice is to avoid anything synthetic and chose natural aromatherapy oils or scented candles.