Would you buy a house that works against you?
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions most of us will ever make. We spend months scrolling through listings, attending inspections and comparing suburbs. We look at school catchments, transport links, renovation potential and property values. We calculate budgets, organise finance and imagine where the furniture might go. But there is one question many buyers never think to ask: How will this home actually feel to live in? It’s something Classical Feng Shui consultant Lisa Burman encourages people to consider before signing on the dotted line. “People often focus on the practical aspects of a property, which are absolutely important,” she says. “But a home is much more than a floorplan and a postcode. It’s the environment you’ll wake up in every day, raise your family in and build your life around.” While Feng Shui is often associated with lucky bamboo plants and carefully positioned furniture, Classical Feng Shui takes a different approach. It examines factors such as a home’s orientation, age and surrounding environment to better understand how the space may influence the people who live there. According to Lisa, every property has its own unique energetic blueprint. “Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two homes are either,” she explains. It’s a concept that resonates with many homeowners. Most of us have walked into a property and instantly felt comfortable. Others might tick every box on paper, yet something doesn’t feel quite right. That feeling, Lisa says, is often overlooked during the buying process. “We’re very good at analysing properties from a financial perspective, but we don’t always stop to consider how a home might support our wellbeing, relationships or lifestyle.” Of course, location, affordability and practical needs should always come first. But understanding how a property feels can add another layer to the decision-making process. The same principle can apply when it’s time to sell. While fresh paint, decluttering and good styling can certainly help attract buyers, Lisa believes creating a welcoming atmosphere is just as important. “People make emotional decisions about property,” she says. “Often within moments of walking through the front door they’ve already formed an impression of whether they can see themselves living there.” Simple changes such as improving natural light, creating a sense of flow and removing visual clutter can help buyers connect with a space more easily. At its heart, Feng Shui is based on a fairly universal idea: our environment influences how we feel. Most people would agree they feel different in a calm, light-filled home than they do in a dark, cluttered space. The places where we live can affect our mood, energy levels and overall sense of wellbeing. “When you’re buying a home, you’re not just buying a building,” Lisa says. “You’re choosing the environment that will shape your everyday life.” Whether you’re a firm believer in Feng Shui or simply curious about the concept, it offers an interesting reminder that a home is more than bricks and mortar. It’s the backdrop to your life, and that’s something worth considering before you pick up the keys.
