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Would you pay more for a house with good feng shui?

Keep your living space clear of clutter. (Source: Getty)
Keep your living space clear of clutter. (Source: Getty)

One of the ways Chinese home buyers are changing the property landscape is through growing demand for one particular characteristic: good feng shui.

Feng shui is the Chinese geomancy art practiced by practitioners who believe that everything has a certain energy (‘qi’), and that arranging objects in a certain way – particularly in your home – can influence our lives.

Sunlight, air circulation, proximity to water, and wide gates are some of the sought-for features, according to Hong Kong-based feng shui master Philip Wong.

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But if you thought it’s only Chinese buyers that want feng shui principles applied to their home, you’d be wrong.

According to new research by HSBC, more than half of Australians would actually be more inclined to buy a property that applied feng shui principles.

And there’s real monetary value attached to good feng shui: nearly three in five (57 per cent) reckon feng shui ups the value of their home.

According to feng shui master Edgar Lok Tin Yung, the Chinese art is more than what people might assume.

“Many people think feng shui is just a design tool to make your home look better, when in fact it’s a powerful ancient practice that has the ability to improve not just the environment within the home, but also the health, wealth and longevity of those living in it,” he said.

When asked what benefits Aussies associate with feng shui, HSBC research respondents said it provides a more comfortable home, improved health, it’s attractive to buyers, and it increases property value.

It’s something home owners can’t afford to be blind to, indicated HSBC Australia head of retail banking and wealth management Jessica Power.

“Property owners should take every opportunity they can to enhance the value in their homes – small changes really do make a big difference when it comes to achieving harmony,” she said.

We already like feng shui and we don’t even know it

Perhaps the most curious thing of all is that most (82 per cent) of Australians actually prefer the look of a house that has feng shui principles without even realising.

According to HSBC, respondents were shown two images of bedroom blueprints, one with feng shui principles applied to it and one without.

(Source: Supplied)
(Source: Supplied)

Did you prefer one to the other?

If you liked the look of Image B more, you prefer a room with feng shui principles applied to it.

“The answer to the above is that feng shui principles have been applied to image B, as the bed has been turned anti-clockwise by 90 degrees and the sofa has been relocated which ‘creates good feng shui configuration’ according to Edgar Lok Tin Yung,” a HSBC spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.

Good feng shui principles for your home

According to HSBC, here are three things you should do to create better ‘qi’ in your home:

Seating: Keep your back to the wall

Make sure that your seat support faces the back of the room as this “ensures the energy behind you is active”.

“When we are sitting against a solid wall and facing the entrance of a room we feel comfortable and secure. The same concept is relevant for the positioning of a house whereby a house would traditionally face the street (open space) and not the back of a street (closed space).”

Mirrors: Arrange them carefully

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t have mirrors directly facing the entrance of a room. Rather, they should be placed on the sides of a room, HSBC said.

Mirror placement will also vary depending on whether or not you’re single or a couple. “Single occupants should have the mirror facing the bed as this activates energy and encourages them to go out and meet people.

“However, in a couple’s home, mirrors should not face the bed as this activates the energy to invite others into the room.”

Plants: East is best

To “help activate energy in a room,” place plants in the east or south-east of a room.

“This is because the north of a room signifies water, whereas the south-east area is Wood (and wood and water go well together).”

Bad feng shui principles in your home

Losing all your qi

Feng shui is about the flow of ‘qi’, energy – so you want it to flow smoothly, but not to flow away.

“If your front door is directly in line with the backdoor, the qi flows in and out in a straight line quickly. which will disperse the qi.”

Cluttering your main space

“As the centre of the house is the heart of the house, this should be kept as spacious as possible,” said HSBC.

“Bad feng shui configuration would be placing active objects in the centre of the home.”

Having your ensuite door facing your pillow

(Source: Supplied)
(Source: Supplied)

Even though it might seem most accessible to have your bed adjacent to the bathroom, this is bad feng shui, HSBC advised.

“It encourages the bad (‘sha’) energy from the bathroom to flow into the bedroom.

“It is better to avoid the bad energy by positioning the bed to face the bathroom.”

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