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So I'm preparing my house for pictures and eventually showings.
What is the general consensus on having a handful of family pictures on the wall? I don't have a ton, maybe 7-10 between 2 walls. It's just annoying to me to have to take down my pictures. I mean, I still live here.
Also having Glade Plugins to freshen up the smell. Obviously they wouldn't be visible and I'm not trying to mask a bad smell. Just trying to make the house smell nice and inviting.
A lot of people have trouble with them, especially pregnant women. I had a pregnant client walk in and out of a house over a vanilla scented plugin as she was about to vomit. Seriously. Don't do it.
Main reason is this: Why divert a potential buyer who may (probably will) be curious about the owner? I want them looking at my HOUSE, not my family. Those photos are a distraction - periid. Nothing more (to the potential buyer).
I've NEVER heard anyone give me a benefit to leaving those photos up (beyond seller convenience), but there are plenty of reasons to take them down.
I'm not a fan of scents either. I always wonder what they are covering up.
I would take the pictures down when the Realtor takes the property photos. I don't want my family photos online on realtor sites. I would then put them back up and keep them up for showings. Unless you have a ridiculous amount of cluttered photos or it looks like you are hiding something I would not take them down for showings. I think plug ins are fine, if you want the home to smell nice buy a frozen apple or cherry pie and bake it before an open house. I have no problems with scented candles or air sprays that smell like clean linen or rain fresh fabreeze smell, especially if you have pets. You are used to the smells in your home so may not even notice them or that the place needs to be freshened up.
I know the HGTV staging shows say otherwise, but I think people are perfectly able to decide if they like your home even with your family pictures in it. If they are well framed and nicely displayed, and make the room look more decorated and homey, I'd leave them.
When there are air fresheners, I assume that the house stinks and I drop my offer to cover the cost of odor removal.
I got a very nice bargain on one place that was so heavily perfumed that I could barely breathe. I assumed I would be tearing out and replacing carpet, painting, and paying for duct cleaning, and I dropped my offer to cover all those costs.
It turns out that the dog had never peed in the house, nobody was a smoker, the seller just thought that the air freshener smelled nice. So I got a good price with no bother except for an asthma attack the first 6-7 times I walked into the house.
I didn't think about allergies or aversions to scents. I was one of those during my first pregnancy. Totally forgot. So I'll definitely skip this. But out of curiosity, if the homeowner happened to make a delicious fish dish for lunch... and had a last minute showing later, what to do? Hope the smell dissipates?
And regarding family photos, would you prefer to see a blank wall with little nail holes? Or empty frames?
So I'm preparing my house for pictures and eventually showings.
What is the general consensus on having a handful of family pictures on the wall? I don't have a ton, maybe 7-10 between 2 walls. It's just annoying to me to have to take down my pictures. I mean, I still live here.
Also having Glade Plugins to freshen up the smell. Obviously they wouldn't be visible and I'm not trying to mask a bad smell. Just trying to make the house smell nice and inviting.
Leave the photos up but when I was looking at homes all I wanted to smell was nothing with the exception of clorox or pine sol. No fruity flowering citrusy I am probably allergic to fragrance, no plug ins, sprays or candles.
As far as fish being delicious I will disagree with you about that, I will also suggest you not cook anything with a strong lasting odor for a while and if you do get a can of odor neutralizing spray and use it lightly.
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