The Real Estate Market is Constantly Changing
Hi Everyone,
Location, location location used to be the only thing you had to consider if you wanted to make a good real estate investment. But today buyers come in all shapes and sizes and what motivates them to buy or not buy is a whole lot more than location.
More and more buyers are saying, “show me properties that have good feng shui.”
Many books have been written about the ancient secrets to selecting properties with good Feng Shui. Even the real estate magnet Donald Trump uses the feng shui guidelines for purchasing real estate. As a real estate professional for 20 years who has read Feng Shui books and attended seminars I am still not sure about the ancient philosophy of wind, water, fire, earth, metal and wood and the balancing aspects of yin and yang but call it anything you want—I am sure of this…homes sell by emotion and how a home looks and feels to a buyer is the difference between a sale and NO sale.
What is Feng Shui? It is not about spending a lot of money and having fancy designer labels. It is about simplicity, a lack of clutter and getting rid of the extra “stuff” that blocks the flow of positive energy in our minds and in our homes. It’s about furniture, windows and door placement to allow light and a correct inviting flow that makes you so comfortable in a home that you want to stay awhile. Or better yet, buy it for top dollar.
Honey Stop The Car!
Ever had that feeling where a home captured your attention so strongly that you stopped your car to immediately call the realtor right then! This is the dream of every seller and realtor because when this kind of excitement happens the house is SOLD. Here are Feng Shui tips to make your home simply irresistible too.
EXTERIOR
- Curb appeal is fundamental. Grass cut, edged, bushes trimmed, NO weeds; flowers, flowers, and more flowers
- Driveways clean, mailbox straight, trash bins out of sight
- Porch clean, round or oval pots of blooming flowers, weather permitting
- Front path clean with flowers along the way
- A new doormat, preferably black – semicircle or oval is ideal
- Front door should be immaculate, fresh coat of paint or varnish, kick plate bright and shining
- Remove all “NO Solicitors and Do Not Disturb signs.
- Address numbers visible from across the street
- Doorbell that sounds gentle, not jarring. Solid threshold, shiny, firm doorknob
- Front door lock and key that work easily
INTERIOR
- Fresh flowers or good looking silk flowers in entry and on dining room table
- Dying plants anywhere or empty pots are not good Feng Shui
- Remove all excess furniture –roomy and spacious feeling is most important
- Clutter is your worst enemy – rent a storage unit for excess, if necessary
- Fresh paint where needed is the sellers best investment
- 3 to 5 accessory items on kitchen and bathroom counters; all else removed
- Pay attention to art work…neutral is best (no negative, sexual or violent images. No dead trophy animals)
- Position furniture to invite guests inward-nothing blocking forward movement or doorways
- Toilet lids down! Pet dishes out of sight and cat boxes outside
CLUES TO GUIDE YOU TO HOMES WITH GOOD FENG SHUI
Look For:
- Parcels having regular shapes (square or rectangle)
- Healthy lush foliage
- Lots with flat or gentle topography
- Floor plans flow easily and have regular shapes
- Homes with plenty of natural light and good ventilation
- Master bedroom that allows the owners to command the door without looking straight out the door
Avoid Properties:
- Near high powered electrical lines and transformers
- That slope down at the rear or are located at the edge of a cliff.
- With swiftly moving water, such as a river, or a busy street at the rear.
- Near excessive noise or obnoxious odors
- Located at a heavily trafficked “T” or “Y” junction
- Floor plans where stairs are located immediately in the front of the main door
Feng shui may seem a “bit outside the box” but the truth is it works. If you are planning to buy or sell a home and would like more information on Feng shui staging contact Linda Craft at 919- 781-9298