6 Creative Candle Scents That Don’t Exist but Would Be Great for Some Home Sellers

Lighter Side of Real Estate • November 3, 2022

Some people swear that the warm, inviting smell of freshly baked cookies is the secret scent to use when selling your home. Others say you can just burn a cookie scented candle if you don’t have the time to bake up a fresh batch.

But sometimes a house needs more than the wafting scent of a couple dozen cookies to overcome things that’ll turn off a potential buyer.

So we came up with 6 creative candle scents that don’t actually exist, but would be great to help sellers overcome some common issues if someone could craft the perfect paraffin!

1) Caramel Clutter Butter

No matter the condition, price range, or size of your house, a general rule of thumb is that you should declutter your house and make sure it’s clean before having buyers come through. But some sellers just can’t be bothered with the effort it takes to spiff up their house, making it hard for buyers to see past all of their stuff.

Caramel Clutter Butter would please the buyers’ nasal passages with hints of caramel and Nutter Butter cookies, just like their Grandma’s house-of-hoarding did back in the day. It wouldn’t hide the disarray, so much as accentuate it and conjure up feelings of home and family.

2) That New House Smell

Whoever invented the “new car smell” needs to come out of retirement and make a candle that smells like a new house. This scent would ideally smell like new carpet, a fresh coat of paint, and the faint smell of sawdust. It could be used for houses that are older, outdated, or just plain dirty.

3) Zimply Zurple

This made up scent would be like nothing you’ve ever sniffed. In fact, it’d be difficult for buyers to accurately pinpoint the exact scents, but they’d find themselves as oddly convinced as the seller that the asking price is spot on, even if it’s way off from the actual market value. Perfect for sellers who prefer to ignore a thorough in-person market analysis, and just go with a hunch and some hope when it comes to pricing.

4) Won’t Last “Just Listed” Mist

The more days a house is on the market, the more it becomes “stale” and buyers begin to wonder if something’s wrong, and either avoid making an offer, or come in with a low-ball offer.

This candle would be perfect for sellers who listed their house for too high of a price and refuse to reduce their price, despite the fact that it’s been on for five months and there hasn’t been a single offer. The subtle misty air it creates will have buyers feeling like the house was just listed and won’t last (just like it says in the listing description at the seller’s request), and they’ll rush to make an offer before someone else beats them to it..

5) Make Mine A McMansion

Many buyers want a big house with an open floor plan, which can be a problem if your house is best described as “cute and cozy.” But Make Mine A McMansion would be a scent designed to truly open up the nostrils of the buyer using ample amounts of eucalyptus, thus making the buyer feel like they’re in an open and airy environment.

6) There’s a Lot of Minterest

If you simply tell buyers that there’s a lot of interest and you expect offers to be coming in, there’s a good chance they’ll doubt you or think you’re just trying to get them to make an offer — even if it’s the honest truth. They need to truly feel and sense that there are other buyers who want the house as much as they do.

Much like dogs who’ve peed on a hydrant to leave their mark, this candle fakes the scent of other buyers who want to claim the house as their own territory, but with a hint of mint.


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What a Government Shutdown Really Means for the Housing Market

By KCM • November 6, 2025
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2026 Housing Market Outlook

By KCM • October 26, 2025
2026 Housing Market Outlook After a couple of years where the housing market felt stuck in neutral, 2026 may be the year things shift back into gear. Expert forecasts show more people are expected to move – and that could open the door for you to do the same. More Homes Will Sell With all of the affordability challenges at play over the past few years, many would-be movers pressed pause. But that pause button isn’t going to last forever. There are always people who need to move. And experts think more of them will start to act in 2026 (see graph below): What’s behind the change? Two key factors: mortgage rates and home prices. Let’s dive into the latest expert forecasts for both, so you can see why more people are expected to move next year. Mortgage Rates Could Continue To Ease The #1 thing just about every buyer has been looking for is lower mortgage rates . And after peaking near 7% earlier this year, rates have started to ease. The latest forecasts show that could continue throughout 2026, but it won’t be a straight line down (see graph below): There’s a saying: when rates go up, they take the escalator. But when they come down, they take the stairs. And that’s an important thing to remember. It’ll be a slow and bumpy process. Expect modest improvement in mortgage rates over the next year but be ready for some volatility. There will be volatility along the way as new economic data comes out. Just don't let it distract you from the bigger picture: the overall trend will be a slight decline. Forecasts say we could hit the low 6s, or maybe even the high 5s. And remember, there doesn't have to be a big drop for you to feel a change. Even a smaller dip helps your bottom line. If you compare where rates are now to when they were at 7% earlier this year, you’re already saving hundreds on your future mortgage payment. And that’s a really good thing. It’s enough to make a real difference in affordability for some buyers. Home Price Growth Will Be Moderate What about prices? On a national scale, forecasts say they’re still going to rise, just not by a lot. With rates down from their peak earlier this year, more buyers will re-enter the market. And that increased demand will keep some upward pressure on prices nationally – and prevent prices from tumbling down. So, even though some markets are already seeing slight price declines, you can rest easy that a big crash just isn’t in the cards. Thanks to how much prices rose over the last 5 years, even the markets seeing declines right now are still up compared to just a few years ago. Of course, price trends will depend on where you are and what’s happening in your local market. Inventory is a big driver in why some places are going to see varying levels of appreciation going forward. But experts agree we’ll see prices grow at the national level (see graph below): This is yet another good sign for buyers and overall affordability. While prices will still go up nationally, it’ll be at a much more sustainable pace. And that predictability makes it easier to plan your budget. It also gives you peace of mind that prices won’t suddenly skyrocket overnight. Bottom Line After a quieter couple of years, 2026 is expected to bring more movement – and more opportunity. With sales projected to rise, mortgage rates trending lower, and price growth slowing down, the stage is set for a healthier, more active market. So, the big question: will you be one of the movers making 2026 your year? Let’s connect if you want to get ready.

Why Home Prices Aren’t Actually Flat

By KCM • October 25, 2025
Why Home Prices Aren’t Actually Flat If you’ve been following real estate news lately, you’ve probably seen headlines saying home prices are flat. And at first glance, that sounds simple enough. But here’s the thing. The reality isn’t quite that straightforward. In most places, prices aren’t flat at all. What the Data Really Shows While we’ve definitely seen prices moderate from the rapid and unsustainable climb in 2020-2022, how much they've changed is going to be different everywhere. If you look at data from ResiClub and Zillow for the 50 largest metros, this becomes very clear. The real story is split right down the middle. Half of the metros are still seeing prices inch higher. The other half? Prices are coming down slightly (see graph below). The big takeaway here is “flat” doesn’t mean prices are holding steady everywhere. What the numbers actually show is how much price trends are going to vary depending on where you are. One factor that’s driving the divide? Inventory. The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University explains : “ . . . price trends are beginning to diverge in markets across the country. Prices are declining in a growing number of markets where inventories have soared while they continue to climb in markets where for-sale inventories remain tight .” When you average those very different trends together, you get a number that looks like it’s flat. But it doesn’t give you the real story and it’s not what most markets are feeling today. You deserve more than that. And just in case you're really focusing on the declines, remember those are primarily places where prices rose too much, too fast just a few years ago. Prices went up roughly 50% nationally over the past 5 years, and even more than that in some of the markets that are experiencing a bigger correction today. So, a modest drop in some local pockets still puts most of those homeowners ahead when it comes to the overall value of their home. And based on the fundamentals of today’s housing market, experts are not projecting a national decline going forward. So, what's actually important for you to know? If You’re Buying... You need to know what's happening in your area because that’s going to influence everything from how quickly you need to make an offer to how much negotiating power you’ll have once you do. In a market where prices are still inching up , waiting around could mean paying more down the line. In a market where they’re easing , you may be able to ask for things like repairs or closing cost help to sweeten the deal. The bottom line? Knowing your local trend puts you in the driver’s seat. If You’re Selling... You’ll want to be aware of local trends, so you’ll know how to price your house and how much you can expect to negotiate. In a market where prices are still rising , you may not need to make many compromises to get your home sold. But if you’re in a market where prices are coming down , setting the right price from the start and being willing to negotiate becomes much more important. The big action item for homeowners? Sellers need to have an agent’s local perspective if they want to avoid making the wrong call on pricing – and homes that are priced right are definitely selling. The Real Story Is Local The national averages can point to broad trends, and that's helpful context. But sometimes you’re going to need a local point of view because what’s happening in your zip code could look different. As Anthony Smith, Senior Economist at Realtor.com, article puts it: “While national prices continued to climb, local market conditions have become increasingly fragmented… This regional divide is expected to continue influencing price dynamics and sales activity as the fall season gets underway. ” That’s why the smartest move, whether you’re buying or selling, is to lean on a local agent who’s an expert on your market. They’ll have the data and the experience to tell you whether prices in your area are holding steady, moving up, or softening a bit – and how that could impact your move. Bottom Line Headlines calling home prices flat may be grabbing attention, but they’re not giving you the full picture. Has anyone taken the time to walk you through what we’re seeing right here, right now? If you want the real story about what prices are doing in our market, let’s connect.
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