Selling Maine Real Estate The Feng Shui Approach to Home Marketing Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese tradition of placement and design that guides human beings in living harmoniously with their environments. This practice of arranging space for optimum well being was first devised almost 4,000 years ago as farmers in China sought appropriate locations for their homes that would bring the greatest opportunity for good health and prosperity. Feng Shui, which literally means wind and water, sees the world as completely alive with its own chi or personality that is directly affected by such details as the arrangement of furnishings, the location of doors and windows, and the choice of colors and materials. Balancing the chi is the key to good Feng Shui. When in balance, there is a harmonious interaction of yin and yang energies (light/dark, hot/cold, male/female, etc.), and harmony and good fortune prevail. When preparing your home to sell, adopting Feng Shiu has gained many advocates over the years. Better Feng Shui makes your home feel energized, full of life, and in harmony. As many believe, it also may help your home sell faster, for a greater price because people can feel the energy and the harmony within. Hence, your home becomes more attractive. You might want to consider the investment and protect your family’s future by using Feng Shui as part of your total real estate strategy. There are many simple and inexpensive home selling tips available to make the home more marketable. A Common Sense Approach In the most simplistic form, if you feel good when you walk into a room you are picking up on good chi. If you feel bad when you walk into a room you are picking up bad chi. Therefore, the first rule of Feng Shui is to declutter. Go through your home and start packing things away especially in the kitchen. Get rid of all those appliances strewed across the counter top and place them in boxes and store them away while your home is being shown. Another place prospective buyers look is in the bedroom closets. Place all your out of season wardrobes into storage. The more space they see the happier the client. Storage is one of the biggest selling options for the home. First Impressions are Lasting Ones When the client walks into your home they should smell an uplifting fragrance like homemade cookies baking or the sweet smell of lemon. The entrance should be clear of clutter and the walls should be light in color. A dark color on the walls makes the entrance feel small and constricting. Many homeowners will invest in fresh paint on the main walls before they place their home on the market. Place a decorative painting or sculpture close to the entrance to entice the buyers to continue on their tour of your home. Once the buyers are in the home you want them to get excited about each area and see the endless possibilities of decorating the living space. All rooms should be decluttered and magazines, pictures, decorations should have a neutral feel. If you are into new age art, place them in storage and borrow or rent pictures that depict feelings of home and balance. Nature scenes are great to place in the living room space. Freshly cut flowers and plants are a great investment to help you sell your home. Flowers and plants cleanse the air and give a feeling of beauty and spaciousness. The sound of a water fountain or classical music in the background will decrease the stress of the prospective home buyers. Buying a home is stressful and if you are able to reduce the stress in less than 15 minutes your home will be on the top 3 of their list. Lastly, clean those bathrooms. Get rid of the dirt and grime and have the bare essentials in the room. Place a plant in the room and open the window if it is a nice day. Place a few drops of essential oils in a water sprayer and frequently spray the room indiscreetly during the day. A bathroom can make or break a sale. Make it look luxurious and spotless.