Most people have already decided on a home the minute they step in the door. That is, they haven’t even seen the entire home yet but they know whether or not they want to buy it!

How can that be? There are two very important factors influencing this decision. The first can be best described as “first impressions count” and the second is about creating “the right feeling”. Both factors can be addressed with a little Feng Shui knowledge; the first factor is fairly easy to achieve if you have an eye for detail, everything in good repair, a neat garden and diligent cleaning skills. The power of first impressions should never be under estimated and this factor constitutes basic Feng Shui skills.

The second factor is a little harder to achieve, and this is where some additional Feng Shui tips come in handy. To create the right feeling, all the senses need to be tantalised and stimulated to create a positive feeling. That means employing a few tips that utilise the senses of touch, smell, sight, sound and taste. Traditionally, homes are presented to appeal mainly to our sense of sight. By incorporating a few of the following tips in addition to what you already know, you may improve the appeal of your home to a wider range of prospective buyers by creating a comforting feeling.

Appealing to the sense of sight

• Clear path to the front door (a curved path is best to take in a nice view of the property)

• The absence of clutter to focus on the beauty of the home & gardens

• The presence of flowers for aesthetic pleasure and to soften the hard lines of walls and straight paths

• Neat paintwork – repaint faded or flaky timber

• Some homely touches such as interesting garden ornaments that compliment the home

• Complimentary colours – ensure colours of plants, garden accessories and ornaments complement the house style

Appealing to the sense of sound

• Install a running water feature at the front of the home so that visitors can hear the sound of running water (stimulates emotions related to being by the sea or at a river)

• Place some birdseed or a bird feeder in the garden to attract the local birdlife and consequently be able to hear the sound of birds chirping around the home

• Have some soft, relaxing music playing (not too loud) in one of the front rooms of the house so that it can be heard as people approach your front door

• Hang a sweet sounding metal wind chime (with thin tubes) at the front of your home

Appealing to the sense of touch

• Combine plants with different textures in your garden

• Use an interesting mix of building materials for your path, borders, front door, porch, etc

• Have a unique door bell, stained glass window or garden arbour for people to touch and admire

Appealing to the sense of smell

• Burn essential oils in the entry to the home

• Plant fragrant flowers along the pathway to the door eg. lavender, lilac, roses

• There’s nothing more appealing than home cooking; try baking scones or an apple cake prior to an open for inspection to make the home smell inviting (don’t burn them!)

Appealing to the sense of taste

• Display individually wrapped chocolates or sweets (Fantales or lollipops) on the kitchen table for visitors on open days

• Display your freshly baked goodies for visitors to help themselves to

• Display exotic, sweet smelling fruit on the dining table such as mangoes and pineapples (gets the taste buds watering)

There are so many small touches such as these which you can add – the main thing to keep in mind is that you are trying to create an environment that a buyer will fall in love with. The right environment will lead the buyer to think “I can really see myself living here”. Once you have achieved this feeling – the rest is just paperwork.

Nadia Lapadula-Merino of Living Energy Australia is a Feng Shui consultant based in Melbourne. She consults for home and business owners and conducts regular Feng Shui workshops.

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