Pro-Link Blog

Madhvi Hainds, Sales Associate

Cell Phone:  712-490-5873

Office Phone:  712-224-2300

E-mail:  madhvi@pro-linkrealty.com

Website:  www.madhvihainds.com

Pro-Link Realty is very excited to welcome Madhvi Hainds to our team as a Sales Associate. As an active member of the Siouxland community, she finds a passion connecting with people. Call Madhvi to help you with your next real estate transaction.

Jim Trucano, Sales Associate

712-301-2300

www.jimtrucano.com

The most fervent practitioners of feng shui believe that adherence to its principles enables and empowers and energizes on more than just a single level of existence. So as we spend time in the same space both working and interacting socially we can configure buildings and spaces according to feng shui to give positive impetus to both career goals and social relationships.

Even though the principles are identical, the focus and target can vary for this positive “cosmic dragon’s breath.”

We know that houses can be sited and built so that their orientation channels sheng chi, or favorable energy, to the occupants. Another feng shui axiom holds that proper furniture placement and decorating elements within a room or work space can have an impact, either positive or negative, on the inhabitants career goals and interpersonal relationships.

So, what can we do to increase the flow of sheng chi in the effort to favorably reflect on our work and personal goals? Well, for starters you can make sure that the north side of your personal work space, or office, contains water elements. This that will generate positive sheng chi for you and shield your efforts from shar chi. Examples of typical water elements are a model boat or ship; quite possibly an aquarium filled with happy, tropical fish such as guppies or goldfish.

Just like there are items you can use to channel this positive energy there are items you should refrain from placing on the north side of your room. Examples would be wood items, plants, and crystals as they are thought to impede sheng chi and accentuate shar chi.

You should also place your desk so that it isn’t along a wall with doors on each end or directly opposite a doorway as it is thought this will focus negative energy on your activities as the cosmic winds blow by. In the same way, one should avoid sitting with your back to a window because it’s thought to suggest an imbalance and lack of support for your activities. It’s much better to move your desk to an inside wall not immediately opposite a door. If this isn’t possible try placing the appropriate type object between yourself and the offending situation.

One should also avoid facing pointed objects, or support beams of any type. Amelioration of shar chi can be affected by placing favorable objects to effectively block shar chi. On the north side this can be done with pictures, water objects such as ships and boats, but not plants which are thought to be wood symbols and inconsistent with the north side.

The south side of your room is also tied to notions of wealth, prosperity, and career advancement. As in the north one should avoid crystals on the south side but water features should also be avoided as they are thought to impede sheng chi in this direction. What is purported to advance positive energy, or sheng chi are lights and representations of birds, horses, or a phoenix. Installing a wall hanging or picture of these can result in a balancing of energy forces and help cancel shar chi. Placing a light behind your work space or social situation can increase your luminescence and result in favorable impressions on your boss, business associates and social acquaintances.

As Realtors we sometimes feel a bit lost when configuring a room to “show shape.” We’re fairly confident about the need to de-clutter and make as generic as possible to appeal to the widest possible audience. But, within that general review we are often asked to make more specific suggestions to help our clients rearrange and redesign.

Aesthetics aside, some furniture placements done in accordance to feng shui principles gives us an additional set of tools and way to help our clients. And, while proving the results or impact on the sales cycle would be nebulous, at best, one cannot argue that expending the energy to do so is worth the possible benefit for both buyer and seller.

So, the next time you feel a bit depressed try your own little feng shui experiment. Replace that waterfall picture on the wall behind you with one depicting a mountain. The ancients would say that the new picture provides stability, balance and, in fact, “has your back.”

Here at Pro-Link we offer some services that other brokerages don’t, and it’s one of the things that makes working with Pro-Link a delight. One of the more interesting is our association with Erica Newton- a professional stager and space remodeler. Most of our clients are pretty knowledgeable about what it takes to get the most from the listing process and will instinctively nod when we talk about getting their home into “show shape.”

That is why Erica’s services are so special and have such a big impact. She can really help the client focus on what can be easily done to get the home ready to show. For a very reasonable fee that’s based on getting results Erica will reinvent a home to augment and accentuate. In a very crowded marketplace- one classified as favoring the buyers- Erica’s services often make the difference between just listing and selling.

Anyway, at our sales meeting last week Erica was outlining her services, the current price structure, and how using a professional stager can really help both our sellers and our buyers. At the tail end of her presentation, Erica casually mentioned that there were other methodologies and philosophies that are sometimes used to augment staging and interior remodeling even further.

Feng Shui is an example of a philosophy or methodology that has received quite a bit of recent attention and has the potential to help move a home through the sales cycle and expedite a closed transaction. And, although we know it’s anchored in ancient Chinese traditions, it promises very modern benefits from simple activities like furniture and other personal item placement.

Feng shui practitioners advocate that adherence to their principles will channel positive energy and deflect negative energy. If this is true then one can realistically expect a decrease in the anxiety level in our buyer clients and a corresponding increase in our seller’s satisfaction.

As a Realtor I’m impressed with the very definitive manner in which the feng shui discipline unfolds, even for the novice. For instance, feng shui principles theorize that there is small tai chai and big tai chai. The former pertains to balance and harmony for a single room whereas the latter references the entire home or larger structure. What you can do to the single room really is separate and different from the approach you might take when looking at the entire home.

Whether you believe in feng shui principles or not really is up to you and your sensibilities. But, as a Realtor I’m willing to acknowledge that there may just be something to the philosophy because, after all, it has been around for thousands of years. And, I’m intrigued by anything that gives my clients the ability to improve the feeling of their rooms, their home, and their property. So, as I discover more about this very unique and interesting discipline I’ll share some of it here with you.

 Watch www.jimtrucano.com for more updates on Feng Shui!

Everyday we post a Rate Lock Advisory on the Pro-Link Realty Website.  This is not only great information for home buyers, but also for those that watch trends on issues affecting Home Loan Interest Rate Pricing.  You can locate this on the left hand side of the website (www.pro-linkrealty.com) under the section For Buyers.  It is listed as Daily Rate Lock Advisory.

Rate Lock Advisory - Tuesday May. 13th

Nuttin' but Stats as of 4-30-2008

In April 2008, there were 432 homes on the market in Sioux City with the average list price of $140,013 compared to 419 homes in March 2008 with the average list price of $135,079 and 410 homes in March 2007 with the average list price of $137,398.

Within the entire MLS area, there were 97 homes sold in April 2008.  The price range of homes sold were 25 under $50K, 31 homes between $50K-$99,999 and 41 homes that were $100K & over.

Click on the housing button above to take you to the Siouxland Market News where you can download the entire report.

I had the opportunity to attend the ICAN Women's Leadership Conference in Omaha this year.  Suze Orman was the main keynote speaker and gave an amazing presentation regarding the importance of making your financial future healthy by taking steps today.  Orman emphasized that home ownership is the "best investment you will ever make".  She emphasized how fortunate we are that our area has not been hit hard with falling values as in other parts of the Country.  Orman went on to question what other investment is not only a tax write off, a tax benefit & allows you to live there?  Interest rates are low, our market is stable & investory is good.... Home ownership is a wise choice in securing a successful financial future.           

To learn more on about Suze Orman, visit www.suzeorman.com

    Cathy Frost, CRS

For more information on my listings, visit www.cathyfrost.com