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articles about and by Carol Olmstead
Feng Shui Home Staging Tips
When I get questions from home sellers and real estate agents about how they can use Feng Shui to sell a home, I explain that a few strategic Feng Shui improvements can increase the value, emotional appeal, and marketability of your house and solve design and structural challenges, especially in a slow real estate market.
Susan is a Realtor who contacted me to help stage a home that wasn’t selling. When I drove up, it was unclear which of the two entrances was actually the front door. The house was beautiful but had some quirks, including a third bedroom that was located so close to the entrance that it felt much more like a den, and a master bedroom seemed filled with unhappy energy. I recommended some furniture re-arrangements, a space clearing in the bedroom, and changes around the entrance so the positive chi -- and the perfect buyer -- could find the front door. Susan made these corrections, and added upbeat and colorful art to the bedroom. Out of the blue a buyer turned up who loved the details of the house, and because she was an artist, thought the bedroom near the front door would make a perfect studio.
Sarah’s condo had been on the market for quite some time, and she had tried all the classic methods, including an open house, online ads, even a web page. When I looked at her space, it was obvious that the energy was blocked and imbalanced. For example, the table in the foyer that was blocking the entrance into the living room, and her overcrowded bookcases were leaning into the room, further adding to the feeling of imbalance. I suggested she remove the table and put shims under the bookcases to balance them, and consequently, help balance the energy in the space. Sarah had decorated her condo with objects and art she had collected on her international travels. I explained that while these were meaningful to her, prospective buyers want to visual how their furniture and special possessions will fit into the space, and they couldn’t do that in Sarah’s condo. It took her a while, but Sarah finally completed all the Feng Shui changes including packing away her personal decorations. Shortly after, a buyer finalized an offer that was above the original listing price.
Want to sell your home faster? These simple Feng Shui tips will help attract the right buyers to your home.
1. Mark the Spot. Ask your real estate agent to place the “For Sale” sign to the right of the house, since people naturally look to that side when they approach a home.
2. Clear the Way. Clear away dead plants, vines, shrubs, and branches that block the main pathway so buyers have a clear route to the front door.
3. Greet Buyers. Place two healthy plants or flowers in attractive dark blue planters on both sides of the front door to act as a welcoming threshold to "greet" potential buyers.
4. Clean and Refresh. Clean the front door, repaint if the finish is cracked, old, or faded, add a fresh new doormat, and make sure the doorbell works.
5. Make a Good Impression. Display your Realtor’s cards and flyers inside to the right of the front door, standing upright in racks rather than flat on a table or counter, so they are not symbolically “laying down on the job.”
6. Go Clutter-Free. De-clutter the entire house, paying special attention to the kitchen, closets, and garage to show buyers there is room for their possessions.
7. Help Buyers Visualize. De-personalize the home by removing family photographs and personalized items so buyers can visualize where they will place their own family furniture, decorations, and artwork.
8. Deck the Walls. Remove any art that is dark, sad, or lonely, and make sure everything you display has colorful, friendly, and positive images.
9. Improve the View. Create a beautiful view by cleaning all windows until they sparkle and dusting all the doors and around the doorframes.
10. Get Ready to Go. Pack up five of your most treasured possessions and seal them in a moving box as a symbol you are ready, willing, and able to move!
Susan is a Realtor who contacted me to help stage a home that wasn’t selling. When I drove up, it was unclear which of the two entrances was actually the front door. The house was beautiful but had some quirks, including a third bedroom that was located so close to the entrance that it felt much more like a den, and a master bedroom seemed filled with unhappy energy. I recommended some furniture re-arrangements, a space clearing in the bedroom, and changes around the entrance so the positive chi -- and the perfect buyer -- could find the front door. Susan made these corrections, and added upbeat and colorful art to the bedroom. Out of the blue a buyer turned up who loved the details of the house, and because she was an artist, thought the bedroom near the front door would make a perfect studio.
Sarah’s condo had been on the market for quite some time, and she had tried all the classic methods, including an open house, online ads, even a web page. When I looked at her space, it was obvious that the energy was blocked and imbalanced. For example, the table in the foyer that was blocking the entrance into the living room, and her overcrowded bookcases were leaning into the room, further adding to the feeling of imbalance. I suggested she remove the table and put shims under the bookcases to balance them, and consequently, help balance the energy in the space. Sarah had decorated her condo with objects and art she had collected on her international travels. I explained that while these were meaningful to her, prospective buyers want to visual how their furniture and special possessions will fit into the space, and they couldn’t do that in Sarah’s condo. It took her a while, but Sarah finally completed all the Feng Shui changes including packing away her personal decorations. Shortly after, a buyer finalized an offer that was above the original listing price.
Want to sell your home faster? These simple Feng Shui tips will help attract the right buyers to your home.
1. Mark the Spot. Ask your real estate agent to place the “For Sale” sign to the right of the house, since people naturally look to that side when they approach a home.
2. Clear the Way. Clear away dead plants, vines, shrubs, and branches that block the main pathway so buyers have a clear route to the front door.
3. Greet Buyers. Place two healthy plants or flowers in attractive dark blue planters on both sides of the front door to act as a welcoming threshold to "greet" potential buyers.
4. Clean and Refresh. Clean the front door, repaint if the finish is cracked, old, or faded, add a fresh new doormat, and make sure the doorbell works.
5. Make a Good Impression. Display your Realtor’s cards and flyers inside to the right of the front door, standing upright in racks rather than flat on a table or counter, so they are not symbolically “laying down on the job.”
6. Go Clutter-Free. De-clutter the entire house, paying special attention to the kitchen, closets, and garage to show buyers there is room for their possessions.
7. Help Buyers Visualize. De-personalize the home by removing family photographs and personalized items so buyers can visualize where they will place their own family furniture, decorations, and artwork.
8. Deck the Walls. Remove any art that is dark, sad, or lonely, and make sure everything you display has colorful, friendly, and positive images.
9. Improve the View. Create a beautiful view by cleaning all windows until they sparkle and dusting all the doors and around the doorframes.
10. Get Ready to Go. Pack up five of your most treasured possessions and seal them in a moving box as a symbol you are ready, willing, and able to move!
