Lately, I’ve been receiving multiple calls to provide Feng Shui Consultations with the purpose of selling homes. So getting right to it, here are five tips to help the process of selling move along. 

TIP #1:

Pay close attention to the initial impressions you receive upon approaching the house. Starting from the driveway (if you have one) and moving your way toward and around the rest of the house ask yourself:

• Is the home easy to spot from the street? This includes the house number on the house and mail box.

• Does it convey an inviting feeling?

• Is anything physically or visually blocking me from driving or walking to the house?

• Think simple outdoor front entrance displays; solar lights, flowers, welcome sign or mat as some basic go-to enhancements.

Sometimes this can be challenging because there are emotional memories associated to the house. One way to offer a fair assessment is by hiring a Feng Shui consultant or working with atrusted friend who has not been to your home in a while. Either option will allow for an emotionally neutral critique of the house. So I invite you to put you defensives down and listen with an open heart and mind. 

Tip #2

Invest in some basic landscaping. This helps enhance the overall exterior presentation of your home. Be sure bushes are not blocking windows and trees branches are not impeding over the home. Any leaves or other debris are also suggested to be removed from covering the pathway leading to the front entrance.  

For those who live in a condo, focus on enhancing the main entrance. The addition of fresh cut flowers, have good lighting, fresh coat of paint, cleaned floors and carpet, beautiful neutral art; create a refreshed and open feeling. This is also a great and practical way to help ‘remove’ your energy from the home. 

Tip #3

Depersonalize. I tend to get resistance with this suggestion, yet its very powerful. If you are truly ready to move on, allow the home to become less personal and used. The purpose of being inside the house has now become a transitional point. Showcase the positional use of the home by opening up space in each room. Does this mean you need to hide oreverything? No. It’s simply saying not to overdo it with personal touches.

You could have some family photos out, artwork (make sure its neutral; like with nature images, flowers, etc), and some real plants if possible. These accessories become quick navigational focal points to help the buyer’s eyes move evenly throughout the room.  

Tip # 4

Enhance the “Energy Triangle.”  This includes the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. 

These are some of the most active zones in a home so by having the best presentation for each of these rooms is key. Be sure the kitchen is clean; add a bowl of fruit as a sign of abundance and fresh yellow flowers. Adopt the habit to make the beds and refine a balanced composition with all bedrooms. Approach the bathroom with a spa like presentation; keep the staging simple and smelling good. 

Tip # 5

Let the outside in. Open the blinds and if the weather allows, crack open some windows around the home. The natural lights helps to ‘highlight’ the energy inside, while also lighting up the interior. Allowing some natural wind flow into the house reduces any ‘stuffy’ feeling and energetically calls in buyers. 

TIP #6

Release and Let Go. What you say and what you do needs to align. If your intention is sell, be sure the home and emotions reflect that. On an unconscious level, there are times where people who are selling still have an emotional and/or physical attachment to the home. This was the case for a recent client in Brooklyn, NY. Everyone in the family is ready to leave except for the daughter. She made her claim known by displaying her drawings, stuffed animals, and other personal trinkets. The areas she occupies are lived in vs packed and ready to go. This is a very sensitive experience, yet its important to keep an open heart and mind for what awaits just over the horizon. 

Tip #7

Conduct a space clearing. This is also referred to as ‘smudging.’ To do a simple space clearing, take some Native American White Sage and allow the smoke to permeate throughout the house. Start at the front door and move from room to room. If you have a basement, you could start in that section of the house and move up to each floor. In general, set the intention to sell your home, while also having a general or specific target of where you're moving to. Be honest with yourself; if you notice you have a lot of emotionally charged thoughts and feelings do not space clear. Instead, invite another trusted person to step in and perform the ceremony with you, meaning they could take the lead while you are still participating. This is a transcendental way of releasing your energetic imprint and emotions from the home and land. 

Laura Cerrano is a Full-time second-generation certified Feng Shui Master with 24+ years of experience. She provides bi-coastal consultations and workshops for residential, real estate developments, Fortune 500 companies, and healing facilities. She is currently conducting research for her upcoming book that focuses on bridging the gap between the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui and modern-day science to establish the practice of Feng Shui as a credible form of health care.