It doesn't really matter whether or not you believe that Feng Shui methods are important to home decorating. When you get ready to sell a house, you'll find that employing Feng Shui practices can add perceived value to your property in a buyer's mind. Feng Shui ideas just might help sell your homes faster, and for more money. In case you're not familiar with the concept of Feng Shui, here are some tips for incorporating it into your houses.

First, engage the senses of potential homebuyers in as many ways as possible.

• To engage the sense of sight, make sure your home offers lots of horizontal space. That means keeping the tops of counters and shelves as clear as possible.
• To engage the sense of smell, use cinnamon or pine scents, which have been proven to be more effective than vanilla or floral scents.
• To engage the sense of sound, place a pleasantly gurgling fountain near the front entrance or have gentle music playing.
• To engage the sense of taste, stage a bowl of fresh fruit.
• To engage the sense of touch, use soft towels in bathrooms.
  

As is the case with all home sales, first impressions are important, and Feng Shui can come into play at the front door. Keep it clean, turn on front porch lights if the viewing will be after dusk, place a nice doormat in the entry, and have flowers or lush plants on either side of the entryway.

Since the kitchen is the most important room in the house, as far as most buyers are concerned, spend extra time making sure yours is friendly and exudes a feeling of health and prosperity. Keep counters immaculately clean and keep all wastebaskets out of sight.

If it's possible that potential buyers might catch sight of a bathroom when they first enter the home, it's critical that you always keep the bathroom door shut. It’s also important that potential buyers never see a toilet until they actually open the door and expect to see one. When they do inspect the bathroom, it's also critical to make sure the toilet lid is down. Both of these are powerful Feng Shui techniques for creating positive energy impressions.

Again, it doesn't matter whether you're a Feng Shui enthusiast or not. Using Feng Shui concepts can add perceived value to your property, which can mean a short selling time and a higher sales price--both of which are always appreciated!

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher teaches home sellers five home staging principles to get their homes ready to sell. Free Home Staging information.
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