Can music really get a buyer in the mood to seal the deal? According to Adrian North, Lorraine Sheridan and Charles Areni, a trio of Australians who tested this theory in 2015, hearing music makes people want to spend more money than if tunes were not present. In other words, music adds more perceived value to the product being offered. Toward that end, Realtor.com offers some insight into what type of music sells houses and which melodies to avoid.
Match the music to your home
Think about your home’s style when building your playlist. Do you live in a charming Victorian or a contemporary condo? Will Justin Bieber’s greatest hits feel out of tune in your midcentury modern home? You also can glean inspiration from the surrounding neighborhood or the season. Is it a snowy day fit for cozy coffeehouse classics or a hot afternoon ripe for summer jams? You should even consider the type of person most likely to live in the home next—is that likely to be a sophisticated empty nester or a family with young kids
Consider the tone you’re trying to set
Find the right music that will make people want to be there, meaning no hard rock, country or religious music that could turn off potential buyers. Top 40 tunes aren’t banned, but you’ll need to make sure the songs don’t have offensive lyrics and aren’t too amped up—you’re shooting for a vibe of calm rather than club. So how do you strike the right chord? Scouring Spotify or Pandora for open house music is an artful dance. It can take time to uncover the right tunes, and you might be surprised by what works. According to numerous agents, instrumental jazz tunes tend to be hits.
Where—and how—you play your tunes is crucial, too
Don’t have a surround-system in your home? Don’t fret—there are some easy ways to get around that. For example, you can hide Boomboxes underneath a bed or in the corner. Also, don’t be afraid to play a different type of music in each section of the house—as long as the tracks aren’t competing with one another or distracting buyers as they weave in and out of rooms. Keep the volume at a level low enough to invite conversation—and not so loud that people have to yell over it. And make sure to create a playlist that will last the entire showing period, so a buyer isn’t left in awkward silence when the songs run out.