Sell Your Home Using all 5 Senses

Do you know the biggest mistake people make when selling their home? They fail to treat it as a product. The emotional connections we develop with a property over the years can make it hard to detach ourselves when preparing a home for sale. That’s where home staging comes in as your ally. One of the key techniques stagers use to successfully sell properties is sensory marketing.

From a very young age, we learn that we have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. In recent decades, marketing professionals across various sectors have started to recognise the importance of targeting their customers through these five senses. According to scientific studies, the human body is capable of remembering 1% of what it touches, 2% of what it hears, 5% of what it sees, 15% of what it tastes, and 35% of what it smells. So, if you want to win over potential buyers, you need to create an immersive experience that appeals to each of these senses.

It goes without saying, but it’s unlikely anyone would want to buy your property without seeing it first. Taking care of the visual appeal of your home is the most important thing when selling. The first contact potential buyers will have with your property is through sight, browsing photos on real estate websites. The problem is that there are thousands of photos on these portals. Even with the current scarcity of supply in the Spanish market, it’s very likely that your listing will have to stand out among many others to grab a potential buyer’s attention.

We strongly recommend hiring a professional photographer to present your home in its best light. And of course, if you also make use of home staging services, you’ll gain even more advantages. Home staging is a real estate marketing technique that leverages human psychology to highlight every aspect of your property – not just the visual. A well-executed home staging creates a 360° experience that engages all the senses.

To sell a house, you need to make it unforgettable. And since the human brain remembers 35% of what it smells (seven times more than what it sees!), it’s clear that harnessing the power of smell is essential when selling a property. The science of scent marketing is a booming business. There are perfumes designed specifically for different types of companies to help increase their sales by over 25%. That popcorn smell when you walk into a cinema? It’s more likely to come from an air freshener than the popcorn machine itself. That delightful coffee aroma when you step into a Starbucks? It’s enhanced by fragrances designed by experts to encourage us to buy more.

Paying attention to scents is a vital part of presenting a property. Both good and bad! The smell of tobacco, pets, or damp can deter potential buyers from making an offer, no matter how immaculate the visual appearance of the home is. It’s advisable to have all the upholstery and carpets professionally cleaned (especially if you smoke indoors or have pets), as they tend to absorb unpleasant smells over time. To add that extra touch, air fresheners with notes of chocolate, cinnamon, apple, or vanilla are recommended, as they’ve been shown to evoke a cosy sense of home.

One of the tools most commonly used by home staging professionals is textiles. Cushions, throws, bedspreads, fluffy towels – each piece is carefully selected to create a welcoming atmosphere. And buyers don’t even need to touch these items for them to appeal to their sense of touch. The interesting thing about human psychology is that we don’t need to physically experience a sensation. Simply seeing an object, the brain automatically calculates how it would feel to touch, and experiences the same emotions as if we were physically touching it. Imagine for a moment a picture of a very soft kitten. You can already imagine how it would feel to stroke it, right? That sensation gives you a sense of pleasure just by imagining it. The same happens when we look at a home decorated with soft, plush fabrics. A cosy feeling takes over, and the property feels more like a home.

Flavours are some of the most captivating sensations, and taste is a sense that humans have countless ways of indulging. What’s more, we often associate certain foods with positive memories and experiences. Of course, you won’t be offering a gourmet tasting experience every time a potential buyer visits your home. Thankfully, the sense of taste can be engaged in the same way as touch: simply seeing tempting food can evoke a sense of wellbeing.

Home staging experts use food in a variety of ways. A fruit bowl filled with lemons not only adds a vibrant splash of colour to the dining area but also brings a sense of freshness and cheer. A beautifully arranged charcuterie board conjures images of social gatherings and family celebrations. A coffee pot with croissants on a tray on the bed sparks thoughts of relaxing Sunday mornings with a loved one. To sell a property successfully, you need to present an idealised lifestyle that potential buyers can envision themselves living.

You don’t need to be a scientist to recognise that music influences our mood. Who doesn’t enjoy singing along to their favourite tune while driving or doing chores? Marketing professionals have long understood how businesses can boost sales by appealing to customers’ sense of hearing. But be careful! Everyone has different tastes when it comes to music, and what you love might not resonate with a potential buyer, possibly prompting them to cut their visit short. Playing music too loudly or too fast can also have the opposite effect, making buyers rush through the property and spend less time exploring it.

The best approach is to play calming background music with a slow tempo that complements the home’s atmosphere and appeals to the target audience. For example, classical music works well for luxury homes, as it conveys a sense of prestige, quality, and value. For more contemporary apartments, lo-fi music is a great choice, as it resonates with a wide range of people and evokes a sense of focus and relaxation. It’s wise to opt for instrumental tracks, as lyrics can be distracting, and we want buyers to stay focused on the property. Playing background music is a delicate choice, which could explain why it’s not yet a common practice during viewings. But if you decide to give it a go, following these tips will surely make your home stand out!

Your home is the most important financial asset you have, and it should be marketed as such. Home staging uses marketing techniques and human psychology to add value to properties. In the United States, it’s a fundamental part of every property transaction and is globally recognised for its success. Here in Spain, those using home staging are at the forefront, but it’s an affordable service for everyone. If you’re thinking about selling your flat, don’t hesitate – home staging can help you sell your home using all five senses!