How to: Use Feng Shui to sell your home

Set your intention
“When I see a house that’s not selling, the first place I go to is the people,” says Ingrid Hauck, an Ottawa-based Feng Shui consultant. It is necessary that everyone in the family is clearly intent on selling the house, because lingering doubts can serve as an energy umbilical cord, refusing to let go. Consider writing out your intentions: how much you want the house to sell for, what your bottom-line requirements are, and how quickly you want the house to move, Ingrid suggests.  Once your intentions are set, then your own energy won’t hold up the sale.

Fix it up
As any real estate agent will tell you, a rundown house will be a difficult sell. To begin the Feng Shui process you should aim to fix up all glaring problems throughout the house, apply a fresh coat of paint, re-caulk your bathrooms, clean your carpets and ensure all appliances are in working order.

De-clutter
There is nothing more unappealing to a potential buyer than a house full of “stuff” and according to the principles of Feng Shui clutter robs a space of its Chi. “When you walk into a teenager’s room you may feel the chaotic energy, like that of a pinball bouncing all over the place,” Ingrid says. “That’s the feeling a cluttered house will give off.” Consider renting a storage unit and get rid of one-third of all your possessions. “Once you clear out excess furniture and decor, you’ll be able to tone down the energy and allow for clarity and focus,” she explains.

Focus on the front door
When potential buyers come to see your house, they’ll probably enter through the front door. But, if you typically use the garage or even a side door, then the energy around the front entranceway is likely stale. “Positive Chi energy really begins with your front door,” says Ingrid. First, get in the habit of using the front door while you’re trying to sell. Then, oil the locks (to ensure nothing sticks) and apply a fresh coat of paint. Ensure that the main foyer is as open and spacious as possible and watch for sharp edges that may be pointing toward visitors as they enter. In terms of Feng Shui, the front door pertains to the buyer’s motivation to make a purchase and how welcome they feel upon entering the home.

The decision to buy a house doesn’t just come from its ability to meet all of your needs, but also from an intangible feeling — a response to the Chi (life energy). Once you’ve used Feng Shui to re-balance your house, it’s time to act as if the property has already sold. Spend time in the neighborhood you plan to move to, start cleaning out your closets, and think as though the sale has already happened.