The information that you are about to read is credited to
Henry Fong, author of What You Absolutely Must Know
Before You Buy a House.
“The places where we spend most of our time will affect us the most.” Henry Fong
He says that for the majority of us, this would mean the house and the office.
In his booklet he focuses mainly on the house, which includes not just linked or detached landed “single-family homes” but also multi-storey apartments and condominiums.
There are differences in the way that they are handled, which will be explained in a separate section at the end of this booklet.
Let's see what he says about the LAND, the SURROUNDINGS and finally the HOUSE itself.
The Land
There are a few things to consider when evaluating the land. These are the 'energy' of the land, its shape, profile and location.
The 'Energy' of the Land
The land that your house sits on should have ‘qi’ or ‘energy’ that supports life.
This energy is manifested in the flora and fauna of the land. A land that has ample wildlife such as birds, squirrels or earthworms as well lush-green vegetation indicates strong ‘qi’. Vegetation that is sparse or has a yellowish tinge indicates land with insufficient ‘qi’.
This energy is manifested in the flora and fauna of the land. A land that has ample wildlife such as birds, squirrels or earthworms as well lush-green vegetation indicates strong ‘qi’. Vegetation that is sparse or has a yellowish tinge indicates land with insufficient ‘qi’.
You should avoid dry, rocky or sandy terrain. It indicates the absence of ‘qi’.
The Shape of the Land
Square or rectangular-shaped land is ideal. For a rectangular plot, the length to breadth ratio should not exceed 2.5:1. This is not a hard and fast rule, but it is generally accepted in Feng Shui that a less extreme ratio is better.
Odd shaped lands such as rhombus, trapezoid or any other irregular shape are not Feng Shui friendly. L-Shaped or U-Shaped lands are also inauspicious (unfavorable). The worst shaped land is a triangle. You should also avoid land with significant missing corners.
The Profile of the Land
The land that the house sits on should ideally be higher at the back and slightly lower in front. Avoid land which is higher in front and lower at the back since this configuration is inauspicious.
The area directly in front of the house should ideally be an open space such as
a playground or a pond so that ‘qi’ can gather to benefit the occupants.
The Location
Contrary to popular belief, it is inauspicious to build a house on the top of a hill. Such a house lacks support and its occupants are known to feel insecure and lonely. In addition, the occupants are exposed to the full effect of nature’s forces and are more vulnerable to ill health, in particular those associated with the lungs and the skin.
You should also avoid building a house on a steep incline for obvious reasons.
The best location for a house is on a gently sloping hill with the incline providing support at the back. Flat land is also acceptable provided that it is not so low that it floods easily.
You should also avoid low lying areas that are landlocked by surrounding hills. Such land-locked areas can cause ‘qi’ to stagnate and can make the occupants vulnerable to ill health.
The Surroundings
Excessively Yin and Yang Places
A house that is located near to or facing a gravesite has bad Feng Shui. It can also hurt your pocketbook because you will have difficulty disposing it at a good resale price! In fact, there are documented cases where the resale price of the property plummeted after a gravesite was built nearby or expanded.
Yin Yang is an ancient Chinese philosophy. In simple translation it means the ‘existence and interaction of two complementary and opposite forces or states’ (day and night, cold and hot etc’).
Too much of either yin or yang is undesirable. The ideal is to have a balance of Yin and Yang. In Feng Shui, the house (or office) should have a surrounding that has a balance of Yin and Yang.
Gravesites, funeral homes, places of worship and hospitals are all associated with death, passivity, suffering and unhappiness. They have excessive Yin ‘qi’.
Prison complexes, abattoirs, power generation plants, and police stations on the other hand, are associated with aggression, violence and anger. They have excessive Yang ‘qi’.
You should buy a house that is located as far from these places as possible.
Mountains and Rivers
There is a popular Chinese saying, "Mountain at back, water in front". This statement reflects a Feng Shui concept that a house must have support or a strong back. This support can be in the form of mountains or hills at the back of the house.
In addition, a good Feng Shui house should ideally have water or an open space in front for ‘qi’ to gather. Clean moving water in particular is a strong accumulator of ‘qi’ and is highly favored.
In an urban context, mountains and hills are substituted by buildings. Lakes or rivers and open areas are substituted by parks, playgrounds or roads.
You may notice my emphasis on clean lakes and rivers. Those that are stagnant with rotting vegetation emit bad ‘qi’ and should be avoided.
Additional Places to Avoid
In an urban setting, there are many man made structures that are undesirable in Feng Shui and should be avoided.
High tension pylon, microwave relay stations, radio base stations and the likes emit radiation, and long term exposure can potentially affect your health.
You should also avoid oxidation ponds, which emit bad ‘qi’. Stay a sensible distance away from such structures.
What About the House Itself?
The Shape of the House
The house should ideally be symmetrical in shape. Square or rectangular is best.
You should however avoid spaces with significant missing corners.
In Feng Shui, there is a relationship between parts of the house and family members, body organs, types of diseases, etc. Missing corners can affect the luck, health and relationship of the house’s inhabitants.
If your daughter has not found the man of her life despite many attempts and much effort, it may be due to a missing corner! Or if you developed a persistent stomach disorder ever since you moved into the house, it may be due to a ‘missing’ corner!
Similar to the land, a triangle-shaped house is a definite NO!
Selection of Rooms
Using Feng Shui formulas, we can chart the 'good' and 'bad' areas within a house. The methodology is to use the 'good' areas for places where we spend a lot of time (the bedroom, living, dining etc) so that we can tap into this good energy.
Allocate the 'bad' areas for places like the pantry and toilets where we spend much less time.
History
If you are buying a pre-owned (second-hand) house, you must find out as much as you can about the previous owners. Crucial information includes the length of stay of previous owners or whether there were ownership changes in a relatively short span of time.
Did the families live in harmony or were they constantly quarrelling? Did they do well economically and most important of all, were there any cases of violence or death?
Disharmony, divorce and bankruptcy could signal serious Feng Shui defects in the house and/or the surroundings. Violent deaths can generate sufficient bad ‘qi’ that stays in the house and creates problems for future owners.
If you are bold enough to ask around the neighborhood, you may find a neighbor who is willing to talk. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Does that mean you are safe with a new house? Not necessarily. You should also check to see what the land that your house currently sits on was for used in previous years. You should avoid land that was used as gravesites, prisons, or places where violent death occurred.
Additional Things to Watch Out for!
There are certain locations in Feng Shui that are considered highly inauspicious and should be avoided. I have highlighted a few below.
T and Y Junctions
It is highly inauspicious if the house is located at the ‘joint’ of a T junction. It is worse if the house directly faces the road. Similarly it is also inauspicious if the house is located at the ‘joint’ of a Y junction.
Inside and Outside Curves
The inside curve of a river or road is more auspicious than the outside of a bend. It’s better to build a house on the inside of a bend.
River at the Back
It is also inauspicious if a large and fast moving river flows past the back of your house.
‘Attacking Your Door’
The location and orientation of the main door of a house is of paramount importance in Feng Shui. In addition, the main door should not be 'attacked' by offending structures. These can be in the form of a tree or a utility pole. Watch out for rooflines. If you extrapolate the sharp edges and they cut the main door, then they are considered offending if they are near enough.
The edge of a large building that is nearby can also 'attack' your door.
The area in front of the house (that the main door usually opens into) should be clear and unobstructed so that ‘qi’ can gather and come into the house to benefit the occupants.
Special Consideration: Apartments and Condominiums
Apartments and condominiums need a slightly different treatment from a detached or linked “single-family” house.
In the case of a house, the orientation affects the occupants of the house. In the case of an apartment or condominium, its orientation affects all of its occupants.
This is further influenced by the location of the unit within the floor.
Finally the overall Feng Shui is further influenced by the orientation and layout of the unit, which explains why the consultation fee for an apartment or condo is higher than a comparably landed property.
Unlike a detached or linked house, where there is a fair bit of freedom to relocate and realign your main door, kitchen stove etc, there is usually not very much you can do for an apartment or condominium.
As such, I advocate the services of a Feng Shui consultant prior to purchasing the unit.
Other than this, the other factors such as the land, the surroundings, history etc. are the same as that of a landed property.
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