As a former Realtor of over 19 years, I was always intrigued by how a potential buyer came to their conclusion when looking at a particular home. The psychology of making a purchase is fascinating.
It was an easy "leap" for me to eventually own a home staging company and then become a Certified Feng Shui Professional.
Feng Shui takes into account a part of the process that we don't think of.....the subconscious. Have you ever thought about all of the stimuli that is around us and goes by us during any day? Our brains luckily don't register everything or we would go crazy. BUT, many items that don't get to our consciousness still are stored. These things often give us those unsettling feelings about a place or person...and we can't put our finger on it. Why did I not want to stay in that house? Why did I feel that person I just met was not quite truthful?
Feng Shui has many factions, but one of the main functions is to make an individual feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings. Without these two things in place, an inhabitant or a visitor will NOT be able to function at their best. A potential home buyer will not want to stay and visualize where their couch will go, where little Johnnie will sleep, or if there is enough room for the dining room furniture.
Instead their subconscious may tell them to leave, and that is, of course, the worse thing we can have happen when a home is viewed. You may be thinking, my listing is safe. This home is in a safe neighborhood. It looks comfortable to me!
Feng Shui first started by locating the best places for building their homes or temples. What they looked for was a site that was safe from strong winds, protected from harsh sunlight, and gave them ample time if a threat was on the horizon. This idea grew to be known as using the "Classic Armchair".
The Classic Armchair set-up means that the back of the dwelling was protected by a mountain, the sides were protected by hills or a grove of trees, and they had a direct sight line which could take in what or who was coming for many miles.
Now this idea may seem unnecessary presently, but human beings are still wired the same way. Our first reaction, even though it is just a split second, is one of flee or fight when entering a new space. And then we quickly register that there is no reason to do either. There was a reason the old gunfighter sat with his back to a wall and he was able to see who came in the saloon's front entrance.
This idea (Classic Armchair) is how all rooms should be set up to give the owner a peace of mind and calm a visitor quickly and allow them to be supremely comfortable, and therefore willing to take their time and look at the house.
A bed should be placed so its headboard is on a solid wall (this is the mountain) and that the person who sleeps there has a direct sight line to the door that enters into the room. A person will sleep much better in a bedroom placed like this and we quickly see that when entering. They will be thinking: "I will have a good night sleep here and wake up refreshed for my job".
A living room (or den) should have their chairs placed at a 45 degree angle to any window and preferably on a solid wall. The largest piece of furniture for sitting (couch) should be placed first up against a solid wall.
When a house is set up using this type of placement it gives a sense of security to the potential buyer. The first thing a real estate agent needs to make sure of is that the visitor feels they would be safe and comfortable living here.
By Steve Kodad
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