A Little Feng Shui Can Go a Long Way in Selling a House
Chappaqua, NY • October 22, 2003
After all, a harmonious house attracts buyers
When Anna Chang moved to Chappaqua last year, she loved the house, land, schools, and neighborhood. But one thing did not please her. There was no stream or pond in front of her house.
"According to the Chinese tradition of feng shui, water in front of a house brings wealth to its occupants," says Chang, a Taiwanese native. Fortunately, Chang realized she could achieve the same result by installing a fish tank inside. "You have to have six gold fish," she says. "Six is the lucky number."
Think feng shui is a silly superstition? Maybe yes, maybe no. But no one questions why there is no 13th floor in high rises. For Asians such as Chang, feng shui is a habit not to be broken. When one follows feng shui tradition, conventional wisdom has it that one becomes healthy, happy, and wise.
"The purpose of feng shui is to allow energy or "chi" to flow throughout the home," says Sheila Siderow, president of Siderow Kennedy Real Estate. "When chi follows its natural path, it brings good fortune to the household and reduces stress. Block it, and you create disharmony. It's akin to sailing with the current. It is much harder to sail against it."
When Anna Chang, a licensed real estate broker at Siderow Kennedy, works with Asian homebuyers, she knows in advance not to show houses with feng shui no-no's, like a black exterior or a sharp drop-off in the back yard. "There are things inside and outside the house that Chinese clients would be loath to live with, such as a house placed directly at the end of a road or obscured by trees too close to the house," says Chang. "There are ways to overcome some obstacles, but not all."
Chang's feng shui expertise is available to all clients of Siderow Kennedy, particularly home sellers. "Many feng shui touches make a house more appealing," Siderow says. "We tell sellers to emphasize natural light, move furniture to open up the space, eliminate clutter, and add green plants to increase the warmth of the house. It makes a lot of sense."
Some of Chang's feng shui suggestions include adding a mirror in the front hallway to draw in outside energy and decorating parts of the house with gourds or a gourd-shaped object like a vase. (The gourd is thought to hold the elixir of life and is a symbol of longevity, health, and vitality.) A bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen not only smells wonderful, it conjures up a feeling of abundance and prosperity.
"Homebuyers try to imagine what their lives will be when they live in your home," Siderow says. "If you create a sense of tranquility, harmony, and good fortune, they'll intuitively feel they will be happy in the house."
If feng shui helps home owners sell their houses, then they'll be happy, too!
Siderow Kennedy
Siderow Kennedy Real Estate opened its doors at 65 King Street in Chappaqua in 1994, specializing in residential real estate sales in Chappaqua and all of Westchester. Recently, the firm has begun to expand its services in commercial properties, new construction, and development. To learn more about Siderow Kennedy and to visit homes on the MLS, please visit its Web site at www.siderow.com or call 914-238-6600.
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Media Contact: Jeannie Mandelker
Harrison Edwards PR 914/242-0010