Feng Shui For Home Buyers

An ancient practice is enjoying a renaissance in Western culture. Feng Shui (pronounced “fung schway”) has its roots in Chinese culture and has been used for centuries by people seeking to improve their lives through the use of color, materials and object placement in order to invite positive energy, or “Chi,” into their homes.

“In Feng Shui, the primary goal is to create an optimal flow of energy, which will improve all aspects of one’s life – relationships, finances, health and career,” says Linda Binns, executive director of the Feng Shui Success Institute and a certified Feng Shui practitioner based in St. Charles. “More and more people are discovering how powerful these principles can be in bringing about real changes. It’s amazing to see how creating balance and harmony can affect people in a positive way.”

But Feng Shui isn’t just something you do to a house once you own it. Binns says that these powerful principles should be considered in the search for a new home. In fact, Binns offers Feng Shui classes specifically for realtors who want to guide their clients to Feng Shui-friendly homes and advise sellers on how to best prepare their home for sale. She offers the tips below to help ensure that buyers don’t end up with a “house of horrors.”

• Location, location, location... Do not buy a house that is located at the end of a T-junction. Roads are energy channels and a house in this location will be constantly bombarded with energy, or “Chi, which can cause numerous problems for its inhabitants. If your dream house happens to be in this unlucky position, protect it as much as possible with attractive landscaping.

• While too much energy can be problematic, a stagnant pool of energy can be just as unpleasant. These “energy pools” often occur at dead-ends or at the end of a cul-de-sac. Chi that has no movement can result in frustrating obstacles to goals and desires. Again, landscaping can be used to improve this bad situation: plant trees and brightly colored flowers, and use flags, windchimes or banners to help add movement to the area.

• Inside the house, be wary of stairs immediately opposite the front door. A staircase in this position allows energy to rush out of the house, negatively impacting new opportunities, health and wealth. If the house is perfect for you in all but this respect, then hang a crystal between the door and the stairway, hang a mirror at the top of the stairs, display artwork in the stairwell (keeping picture groupings level instead of staggered) and place a pretty swag of flowers or greenery above the inside of the front door.

• Bathrooms located in the middle of the house can cause your energy to drain away, leaving you feeling tired and lethargic. If you choose a house with a bathroom in the center, incorporate the earth element into the space by decorating it with yellow or earthtones, installing ceramic tile and hanging a landscape picture. Real or silk plants and pictures of trees, flowers or gardens are also helpful.

• Avoid buying a home with an entrance that is below street level. It is difficult for beneficial Chi to enter this type of building. If you absolutely must have this house, install accent lighting to illuminate the front from the ground up, which can help “lift” the Chi.n