Want to sell your home quickly? Consider feng shui.
By Kim Tulman
Chances are you've heard of feng shui (pronounced "fung shway"), the Chinese philosophy that teaches you how to enhance your life energy (called chi) according to how your home is arranged. But do you know how to make it work to your advantage when selling your house in a competitive market?
By blending feng shui principles and common-sense realtor advice, you can may be able to attract more qualified buyers, increase your home’s overall value and reduce the time it is on the market. Just ask Patty Cox, a customer of Harrah Brown who is a local real torestate agent with Dickson Realty and a certified feng shui consultant.
“Our dream was to move to Wyoming but our house was not an easy sell because of its location. Harrah was very resourceful and creative in her selling techniques, which included using feng shui. Just one hour after implementing one of Harrah’s feng shui suggestions, we received five phone calls, one of which turned out to be the buyer,” Cox said.
Brown’s feng shui suggestion was to place the real estate contract along with her business card and a handwritten affirmation regarding the sale of the home inside a gray envelope. The envelope was and placed it in the bagua’s “helpful people” area of the home. The bagua is considered the "map of feng shui," and is designed to help you figure out which parts areas of your home correspond to each of the nineparticular areas of your life.
The feng shui tip given to Cox is just one of many techniques that Brown uses when selling homes. Following are additional simple and inexpensive tips that will make your home more appealing to prospective buyers.
First impressions
“In feng shui, the front entrance is very important since it’s the “mouth of chi.” It welcomes and directs positive chi in the form of or repels energy,in the form of people and opportunities,” Brown said.
Sprucing up the walkway, front yard and entrance is the easiest and best way to improve the value marketability of your home, even on a tight budget.
- Place brightly colored flowers or plants on the porch, paint the front door and add a new welcome mat, all of which will "lift the energychi" of the people viewing the home. Avoid sharp-pointed plants or objects that can poke or scratch the buyers as they approach.
- Ensure that the front door opens easily and completely as this is where abundance and opportunities enter.
- Clean all windows inside and out.
- Draw attention Create an active flow of energy to your house by adding a flag or chimes near the entrance.
Less is more
The rules of feng shui and real estate both include getting rid of clutter. When buyers are assessing if a particular house fits their needs, Prospective buyersthey visualize their possessions in your home so it’s best if you give them space to imagine the possibilities.
- Get a head start on your packing by boxing up all photos, memorabilia and collections. You want the buyers to focus on your home’s features not your tchotchkes.personal belongings.
- Remove all bills and other mail from the kitchen countersight.
- Put away small kitchen appliances and other items, especially cutlery, that are sitting on countertops and tables.
Activate the senses
Create a welcoming, pleasant setting in your home by engaging multiple senses.
- Odors are one of the first things buyers notice and often are a permanent turn-off. Spread aromas such as vanilla, cinnamon, or citrus throughout the home naturally or with an outlet freshener.
- Place fresh flowers or plants around the house. They cleanse the air and cast a sense of beauty and positive chi.
- The sound of a bubbling fountain or background music (classical or smooth jazz) is inviting and soothing, and is inviting and decreases the stress of prospective buyers.
It also doesn’t hurt to involve your mind in the home-selling process. Brown recommends taking a photo of the home and writing “sold” across the front of it. Place the photograph in a place where you will see it regularly.