Feng Shui is a philosophical belief system closely linked to Daoism. Many Chinese people, and more recent new age practitioners, hold the practice dear. As a new home sales person, it can be beneficial to be familiar with basic Feng Shui vernacular and beliefs, so to best serve prospects that communicate with you that they are a follower of the philosophy.
The invisible forces that bind the universe, the earth, and humanity together are known as qi (or chi) to followers. Literally translated as "wind-water," Feng Shui is the architectural convergence in metaphoric terms of qi. In home buying, it is important that a follower's home allows the qi to flow properly to ensure wealth, career, and relationship protection and promotion. Because of the complexity of Feng Shui rubrics, it is not uncommon for a consultant to be brought in to help analyze the auspicious areas of a home, prior to it being purchased. For those that cannot afford a consultant or do not have the time to fully assess the Feng Shui of a home, some basic guidelines include, but are not limited to:
- A rectangular or square-shaped home is preferred to an odd-shaped house (like a diamond or one with cut corners).
- Homes near fire stations, churches, hospitals, prisons, cemeteries, and police departments are not preferred.
- The kitchen should not be below a bedroom, living room, or dining room.
- The main entrance to the house is considered the mouth of qi and is where the energy enters the home. There should be no tall barriers to the front door including trees, street signs, telephone poles, lamp posts, large rocks, or even another building that blocks your front door view.
- The front door and back door should not be aligned, as it allows qi to exit the home.
- Staircases should not face the main door.
- A home situated at a "T" or "Y" junction--or at a dead end--is not preferred. A home on a curved street, however, is very good.
- Toilets should not be above a front door, bedroom, dining room, or kitchen.
A good Feng Shui home allows qi to enter and is designed to encourage the qi to meander around the house and not escape too quickly. Trained practitioners may foster the flow of qi with the use of mirrors, water, and metals inside the home. Exterior landscaping can be designed to aid qi as well as assist in aligning unfavorable architectural elements of a home that cannot otherwise easily be overcome.
As you can see, there is much more to Feng Shui than simply moving furniture around a room. You never know if you will encounter a prospect who's a follower of Feng Shui, or if family members have strong beliefs that pressure the homebuyer into having the home analyzed prior to making a purchase. However, if they do share this information with you, this brief summary of the practice should help you better understand one part of their decision-making process.
