Smell of bread cooking helps sale: myth or reality?

Does the smell of fresh baked bread really help sell a home? The answer, according to a national survey, is yes for more than one-third of Canadians. And, interestingly, more men (37 percent versus 32 percent) are swayed by their sense of smell.

And, when asked which room has the biggest impact on potential buyers, 65.8 per cited the kitchen.

The 2001 National Home Attitude Poll, done by Core Strategies Inc. for Royal Lepage Real Estate Services Ltd. looked not only at some of the old beliefs in the housing market, but also tapped into the impact of timing and new technology.

The reason the smell of baked bread has an influence, realtors say, is that baking produces aromas that most people find attractive and which give properties a "homey" touch.

This is also why the kitchen ranks so much higher among potential buyers than, say, the living room which came in second as the most important room, at 15.7 percent or bedrooms, which were important to a mere 2.9 percent of those polled.

A key reason why vendors should consider such touches as a comfortable kitchen and the smell of cooking is to help potential buyers overcome their stress level. When it comes to buying, 54 percent of women said they found it more stressful than selling a home and 42 percent of men agreed, the Core survey found.

Anything that can make potential buyers more relaxed and welcomed should help in the sale. And this extends to when you put the home on the market.

If possible, vendors should list their home for sale in early spring or the late winter, the Core survey found. Over two-thirds of Canadians (69.9 percent) say spring is the best time to sell a house, with April the best month. Buyers, however, were also favoured the late winter months, with 22 percent saying the best time to purchase was in December or January.

Why buy in December and January? Realtors say it is good time to for two reasons: Buyers may have more time off work to shop for a house; and vendors who list during the holiday season are seen as more motivated and therefore more open to lower offers.

The Core survey also revealed how the Internet is becoming more important for both buyers and sellers. In fact, more than seven out of 10 Canadians (72.4 per cent) say they will use the Internet in their next real estate transaction.

Albertans (68 percent) are currently most likely to use the Internet to buy or sell a home, compared to the Atlantic provinces where only 49 percent said they were likely to surf the Internet for real estate purposes.

Looking ahead, 80 percent of residents in Alberta and the Prairie provinces believe the Internet will play asignificant role in their next real estate transaction. A large number of consumers in Quebec, (76 percent) and Ontario (72 percent) will rely on the Internet for home buying and selling in the near future. Residents of British Columbia (65 percent) report no increase in the use of the Internet for real estate purposes.

For vendors the message is that high technology will become vital to get maximum exposure for your listing. Yet when it comes time to close a sale the best advice may be to list your home close to Christmas, with a cozy fire and the smell of baked bread filling the air.

By: Frank O'Brien
July 16, 2001

Copyright 2001 Inman News Features
Distributed by Inman News Features