- Feng Shui is shaping Sydney’s property market, influencing buyer decisions and boosting home values.
- Over half of Australians believe Feng Shui increases property value; 82% prefer homes designed with its principles.
- Embracing cultural design preferences helps developers attract diverse buyers and achieve higher sales prices.
Regular contributor to The Property Tribune and Executive Partner at Plus Agency, Fiona Yang, explores how the ancient Chinese wisdom of Feng Shui can benefit today’s real estate market, offering her insights into the key elements that help homes sell faster and achieve higher prices in a diverse and competitive property landscape.
In Sydney’s multicultural property market, one factor is becoming increasingly influential yet often overlooked by developers: Feng Shui. It’s not just Feng Shui, because a broader cultural sensitivity in home design will help developers build better homes and sell them more profitably.
I have helped to sell hundreds of millions of dollars of Australian property to Chinese buyers and to other buyers from across Asia and Australia. And I grew up in a Chinese household that valued traditional wisdom.
So I speak from experience when I say that Feng Shui is not just superstition for Asian buyers, particularly those from Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Malaysian, and Taiwanese backgrounds.
Instead, Feng Shui is a guiding principle that influences major financial decisions, including property purchases. Ignoring it can make otherwise perfect homes undesirable to a significant portion of the market. That will cost you money.
Understanding Feng Shui: More than luck
The words Feng Shui literally mean “wind” and “water.” This is an ancient Chinese practice that seeks harmony between people and their environment. If you have ever seen a soulless new apartment unit, then you know what the absence of Feng Shui looks like.
Feng Shui affects property selection based on elements like orientation, light, flow of energy (Qi), and even symbolic features like water bodies and mountain views.
For many buyers, a home with good Feng Shui is a promise of prosperity and good health, which makes it a crucial factor when investing millions of dollars.
There are a handful of Feng Shui factors that are more important than any others when it comes to your home.
Front door alignment is one. The main entrance should not directly face a T-junction or a long corridor. The kitchen will ideally be located away from the front entrance. Nor will it directly face any bedrooms.
Bedrooms should be private and peaceful, and they should avoid alignments that let you see from the bedroom into the bathroom with a view of the toilet. Sharp corners are a no-no, and sharp angles or walls that point directly at doors or windows are a negative.
Finally, homes near flowing water or with water views are considered auspicious, as is natural light and airflow. That’s why homes designed with Feng Shui in mind tend to have good ventilation and ample sunlight and give occupants a sense of positive energy.
How developers make millions with Feng Shui
I’d like to share two case studies. One is the Wolseley Eight Townhouses. A buyer requested copper plates embedded beneath the floors. These plates would be invisible to the eye, but would have a deeper purpose than mere decoration. According to Feng Shui principles, they would attract wealth and help ensure prosperity for the homeowners. The developer accommodated the request and secured the multi-million dollar sale.
At multiple other Sydney projects, minor design changes have paid off in a significant manner. Developers have learned that flipping door swings, repositioning kitchen sinks, or realigning apartment entrances can make the difference between losing a high-value sale and closing it.
Beyond Feng Shui: Other cultural sensitivities
While Feng Shui is predominant among Chinese buyers, other Asian and international cultures also influence property preferences.
Vastu Shastra is an Indian architectural philosophy that shares similar principles with Feng Shui. Directional alignments, entry positioning, and room placements matter significantly and can help attract buyers with an Indian background.
Buyers from some Middle Eastern cultures often prefer large kitchens, separate living spaces, and higher levels of privacy from neighbours and between interior spaces.
For buyers from Southeast Asian backgrounds, ventilation, the avoidance of the number “4” (associated with death in some cultures), and proximity to community hubs are important.
Western or Anglo-background buyers have their own cultural preferences. They place increasing value on wellness design, such as natural light, airflow, and quietness. I believe it is no accident that these design features also closely align with core Feng Shui values.
Developers can and should embrace cultural sensitivity. After all, what better business strategy is there than that of giving buyers what they want?
Developers can increase their off-plan sales and sales prices by being flexible about layouts. Making Minor adjustments for buyers during construction can address major cultural concerns and win over buyers who can’t get that customisation as easily in the existing home market.
Working with cultural consultants will be especially valuable for larger developments targeting Asian or multicultural buyers. These consultants can also help train your sales team on the basics of Feng Shui and Vastu. That will enable them to work with buyers to close more sales.
I want to emphasise that accommodating Feng Shui, Vastu, or Western wellness attitudes is not a question of pandering to superstitions. It’s about recognising that when buyers purchase a home, they are buying more than bricks and mortar. They are investing in their future happiness, prosperity, and security.
Developers and sellers who embrace this wisdom will unlock greater financial success.
