There is no shortage of explanations for why houses are sitting on the market and not selling in late 2002.
- High interest rates
- Uncertainty about the future
- The chance of layoffs
- The prospect of house prices going down
- Unrealistically high price expectations from sellers
Multiple choice!
Is bad Feng Shui driving home buyers away?
Real estate agents know that the reason a house isn’t selling is that no one wants to pay the price. Plain and simple, supply and demand.
However, is it possible that buyers and their agents might think a house has bad energy, specifically bad feng shui?
The moment someone walked into a house that was vacant with no staging, she said “the energy is flowing from the front door straight out the back door.” The back door was a direct straight line of sight back from the entry way.
The funny thing is, I thought that alignment was a selling point. Seeing the backyard from the front porch seemed perfectly wonderful to me!
Luckily, for many Feng Shui problems, there is a simple solution.
For the case of a front door aligned with a back door, a staging company or seller can place an object to block the energy from leaving the house. Like a little breakfast table — handy and functional!
Here are more ideas to solve that particular feng shui challenge.
Greenery and plants can improve a house’s Feng Shui.
Perhaps the easiest way to create good energy in a house is with indoor and outdoor plants.
Who doesn’t love the green energy of live plants?
Feng Shui has specific principles about the types and placement of plants and their various effects. It’s worth trying both at home and in your home staging. (See the graphic)
Bloomscape, an online house plant company, offers a full list and analysis of which house plants attract.
Is a house location near a church or temple a positive or negative?
An Inman article all about Feng Shui says “If the home is in close proximity to temples, churches or cemetery. Energies of places for gods or ghosts are disrupted and effect human beings negatively.”
Take a minute before you start Googling “how can I off-set potential ghosts for my house sale.”
There are fixes to most house locations that are considered to have bad Feng Shui such as with mirrors.
More importantly, remember that Feng Shui beliefs are not held by (or even known by) many buyers.
For example, on the sabbath and on Jewish holidays, observant Jewish folks must be able to walk to their home — specifically within 1/2 a mile of the synagogue.
Look no further than Wikipedia for more details on “techum Shabbat“: “In general, this area is calculated by measuring 2000 cubits (about 1 kilometer) in every direction from the place (or settlement) where a person was located when Shabbat began.”
So you see, with our diverse Bay Area community of people with different beliefs, priorities, tastes…your house is not a goner just because of its location. (Ask me about a house for sale in Oakland that has a freeway on one border and a huge commercial building on the other border.)
Audit your house’s appeal before selling (or if you’re staying)
Knowing who your house might appeal to is a great way to stage it to maximize the number of buyers who will be interested.
From door paint color to choice and location of house plants, small home improvements can make all the difference. So can clever pricing strategy and exceptional marketing by your agent.
Always remember: real estate professionals and home owners are not allowed to discriminate against buyers. Auditing your house is a way to appeal to the maximum number of buyers.
If you’re staying in your home, make yourself happy!
- Adopt the Feng Shui improvements.
- Clear out clutter to feel good about inviting people.
- Don’t worry about things you can’t change.
You may find yourself more peaceful and happy than ever!
Please share your Feng Shui challenge and successes with me!
