Holding an open house? Here are the scents to avoid spritzing before people walk in the door.

When you put your house up for sale, the goal is to let a potential buyer imagine themselves living in your space. While you may think creating a sensory experience is beneficial and "adds to the atmosphere," it can take away from a person's ability to use their own imagination.

These four scents will stop people in their tracks, and not in the way you'd hope.

Lavender

We love lavender for its calming properties, but it's often overpowering scent can be polarizing to prospective buyers. It's known to mask smells and can feel stuffy. It's also a hazard for pets, so it may put off anyone with pets.

Orange/Lemon

While we love a light citrus scent, anything too strong or fake smelling will give off 'cleaning products' rather than 'fresh.' You don't want people walking through your home to think about why it is so highly disinfected. Instead, opt for lemons in a bowl.

Musky Anything

While we love a deep, warm musk as a perfume, lighting candles with this soft but sweet scent is too strong and unnatural for a fresh home. It can also read seductive—and while you are trying to seduce buyers—it doesn't come off as fresh.

Food

Yes, freshly baked cookies will make people drool, it might not be in the way you want. Strong scents that people can identify can actually take away from the task at hand: focusing on the tour of your home.

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