What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

Henry Fongs Feng Shui Series

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy a House

Author

Henry Fong Feng Shui Consultant www.henryfong.com

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 1

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

- Version 1 dated 2004 2004 Henry Fong. www.henryfong.com. All Rights Reserved.

Notice of Liability
The information in this manual is distributed in an as is basis. All information provided in this document is provided with good will. The author and publisher of this manual are not responsible for loss, or purported loss due to any contents of this publication.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 2

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

Table of Contents
General ............................................................................................................................... 4 The Land ............................................................................................................................ 6 The The The The 'Energy' of the Land .............................................................................................. 6 Shape of the Land................................................................................................. 6 Profile of the Land ............................................................................................... 7 Location.................................................................................................................. 7

The Surroundings .............................................................................................................. 8 Excessively Yin and Yang Places ................................................................................ 8 Mountains and Rivers ................................................................................................... 9 Places to Avoid.............................................................................................................. 9 What about the House itself? ....................................................................................... 10 The Shape of the House ............................................................................................ 10 The Orientation of the House .................................................................................. 11 Selection of Rooms ..................................................................................................... 12 Additional Things to Watch Out for! ........................................................................... 14 T and Y Junctions ....................................................................................................... 14 Inside and Outside Curves ......................................................................................... 14 River at the Back ........................................................................................................ 15 Attacking Your Door ................................................................................................ 15 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 18

I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to Cathleen Marshall for helping me to edit my Feng Shui and Face Reading e-books. English is not my native language and I am easily confused with its application. Cathleen showed great patience and understanding and I feel she has helped to deliver my thoughts more accurately and make the text easier to read. Cathleen provides professional book editing and copy editing services. You can reach her at panachelan@gmail.com

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 3

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

Henry Fongs Feng Shui Series:

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House

General
Feng Shui has evolved from the observations that people are affected, for better or for worse, by their surroundings. The location of mountains, lakes, rivers, buildings and roads, and the orientation and placement of rooms and furniture within your house or office can influence your wealth, health and relationships. The theories and practice of Feng Shui that we know today have evolved through centuries of research, analysis and experimentation. Ancient masters passed down their collective knowledge to their students and in every generation new findings were added and old theories refined. What we have today is a collection of rules and formulas to select a Feng Shui compliant house or office. The places where we spend most of our time will affect us the most. For the majority of us, this would mean the house and the office. In this booklet I will focus mainly on the house, which includes not just linked or detached landed single-family homes but also multi-story 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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 4

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

In my consulting practice, I have come across many houses with poor Feng Shui characteristics. The owners were probably unaware of the rules of Feng Shui when they made their purchases years ago. In most cases, the owners either do not want to or are not able to buy another house. My task for such cases is to correct the Feng Shui of what I call a fundamentally flawed house. Dont you think it would be great if you knew what to look for so you could buy a house with strong Feng Shui fundamentals? You can seek the services of a Feng Shui consultant to maximize the Feng Shui of your house. This is the objective of this booklet; its the first step to better Feng Shui. So, are you ready to go? Yes? Great! Lets start with the land. From there I will move on to the surroundings and finally to the house itself.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 5

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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. 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. The worst shaped land is a triangle. You should also avoid land with significant missing corners.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 6

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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 natures 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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 7

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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 of 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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 8

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 9

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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, as shown below.

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 houses 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!

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 10

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

Orientation of the House

Should the house face East, West, or South . North or South-West? There are very complex rules governing the ideal facing direction for a house. The factors that influence it include: 1) The sex and date of birth of the head of the household; 2) The building completion date; 3) The completion date of the most recent major renovations. It is quite complex and you must attend a Feng Shui course or two to figure this out! However, I will save you the trouble and share a few tips with you. We have just entered the Period of 8, which in Feng Shui lingo is a 20 year period from 4th Feb 2004 - 2024. Houses that may have brought excellent luck in a previous period (prior to 4th Feb 2004) can turn bad in this period and viceversa. In this booklet, I am going to focus on Period 8 houses, which are houses completed within this period or previous period houses that underwent a renovation major sufficient to change its period. Period 8 houses that face NE & SW are considered auspicious (lucky). Such houses have a favorable combination of stars that are characterized by names like 'On Mountain on Water', 'Parent Sting', 'Combination of 10' and 'Pearl String'. To a lesser extent, houses that face N & S are also considered auspicious due to the stars combination, like 'Double 8 Facing & Sitting'.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 11

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

In addition to the period, occupants of the house are divided into either the East Life or West Life groups based on their date of birth and sex. North and South facing houses are suitable for those that belong to the East Life Group while North East and South West facing houses are more suitable for those on the West Group. To find out which group you belong to please refer to a Kua chart that I have set up on my site at http://www.absolutelyfengshui.com/kuachart.htm While period 8 houses facing NE/SW and N/S are considered auspicious, it does not mean that houses that face other directions are inauspicious. Some have good stars combinations too. When in doubt, use the services of a Feng Shui Consultant.

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. Identifying such good and bad areas requires a course (or two) in formula Feng Shui. Unless you are interested in embarking on such a study, you are better off using the services of a consultant. The same goes for the location and orientation of the main door, kitchen stove, bed and sitting orientation. I strongly advocate using a consultant to advise you on the optimal internal layout of your house.

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
http://www.henryfong.com Page 12

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 13

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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 as shown below. 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. Its better to build a house on the inside of a bend.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 14

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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. Use the services of a consultant with his trusty compass to tell you how to orient your door. 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, as shown in the diagram below.

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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 15

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

The edge of a large building that is nearby can also 'attack' your door as shown in the diagram below.

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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 16

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

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.

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 17

What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House?

Henry Fong

Conclusion
To conclude, I hope you have found the tips in this booklet useful. If you have, I would appreciate it if you could forward a copy of this booklet to your friends or simply ask them to visit my site at: http://www.henryfong.com If you have received this booklet from your friend, I would still encourage you to visit my site and download the latest version. By leaving your name and email behind, I can update you on the schedule of my next talk. From time to time you will also receive Feng Shui tips that you can use to improve your Feng Shui. If you need a consultant to feng shui your house or office, please contact me at henry@henryfong.com. Till then may Feng Shui bring your greater wealth, better health and wonderful relationships! Thank you for reading this booklet.

Sincerely, Henry Fong www.henryfong.com

http://www.henryfong.com

Page 18