The Real Deal

Feng Shui influences many who buy homes

By Sunny Dykwel

"Feng what?" you might ask. Think of being in the right place at the right time, or being in the flow of things. Feng Shui helps maximize and direct the flow of energy. The basic tenets of this philosophy are quite simple. If positive energy can flow through an environment, then the people residing there will benefit. Because I am in real estate, I have encountered many clients who are devotees of this ancient Chinese practice.

Most of us in the West have never heard of this system, let alone made use of it, but it can indeed work wonders. Who can argue with the value of balancing life energies and striving for harmony with nature? And if the result is health, happiness and prosperity, it beats four sweaty days a week at the gym!

Whether or not you believe in Feng Shui, one thing is certain; it is driving home sales in Santa Clara County. So what does that mean to a real estate professional?

The practice of Feng Shui attempts to create an environment that improves a person's health and clarity of mind, allowing that person to focus his/her energies on achieving whatever objectives he/she has. Feng Shui is not a religion. And like corporations adopting the latest marketing paradigm to gain a slight competitive advantage, it doesn't hurt to know a little something about what motivates some homebuyers' behaviors so one can do a better job of meeting their needs.

Like many schools of thought, there are countless variations on the "art of placement." We try to understand a client's desire to have the home situated correctly on the property, such as facing south, or having favorable numbers in the address, such as the number 8. Another aspect includes not having the staircase directly in line with the front door, as this would allow positive energy, or chi, to escape.

The element of time is also considered. For example, the date of completion, or the date of occupancy, is considered the birthday of the house and should fall on an auspicious date. Clearly, by knowing about these factors, we can better understand how to meet the needs of our diverse cultural community.

Bookstores in the Bay Area have numerous titles on Feng Shui. Doing a search on Amazon.com brought up 203 entries on the topic and Borders.com returned 182 search matches.

The cultural dynamics of the Bay Area suggest that understanding Feng Shui may become a very important business element. Being able to "speak the same language" as the homebuyer is what good salesmanship is all about.

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Guest columnist Sunny Dykwel is with Alain Pinel Realtors, Palo Alto. Information provided in this column is presented by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. Send questions to: Your Realtor and You, c/o SILVAR, Palo Alto District, 345 San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022; call 650.949.9115; or send email to: ppompei@siliconvalleyrealtors.org.

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