Astrology, Feng Shui, Magic Spells... and Selling Homes

As someone in the real estate industry, I'm always eager to find out more about buying and selling strategies. However, I'm not sure what to think about using astrology to sell a home. Or Feng Shui. Or magic spells. There are a lot of people more than happy to take your money in exchange for your magic number, star alignment, or real estate amulet, though.

Astrology has been used to divine the future since before the Common Era. Many people today view it as a harmless amusement. Move.com even has a section for "homestrology" profiles. Realty Times did an article entitled, "Look to the Stars for Decorating Advice", featuring astrologer John Marchesella, who claims that knowing your Sun Sign can help you choose colors for your home.

In some cases, astrology becomes serious business, spawning websites like realestateastrology.com that sells subscriptions for astrology questions, natal charts, and business outlooks. These cost between $25 to $50 a month. Some astrologers promise results if you buy a personal profile from them, ranging from 19.95 to hundreds of dollars. One website promised that my problems selling a home stemmed from not having my home in proper alignment with the stars. For only 39.95, I could get a astrological profile that would improve my real estate transactions. Some Realtors even claim that they use astrology to sell homes.

Magic spells aren't just for Mickey Mouse in "Fantasia" any more. Some people believe that they can help you sell your house. One spell requires allspice, myrrh and benzoin. If Eastern magic appeals to you more, there's a site that sells Chinese Prosperity Oil at the bargain price of 39.95. Apparently you can anoint the doorstep with it or burn it for a pleasing 'buy-me' scent.

Another route is to bury a statue of St. Joseph somewhere in the lawn. St. Joseph, one-time husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is also the patron saint of real estate sales. One site selling St. Joseph statues intimates that you can sell your house faster if you buy the bigger statue size. One wonders why it is necessary to deep-six an effigy of a saint in order for him to take notice of your house selling woes, but there is no explanation forthcoming from history aside from anecdotes.

Feng shui is a Chinese practice rooted in ancient times. Basically, the idea is arranging objects in one's life to attract positive energy. However, feng shui also attracts money from people who believe that this practice can help them sell homes. 19.95 buys one information about their element at one website. One feng shui consultant who works in real estate charges $150. An hour. On the plus side, feng shui does encourage people to pay attention to their color scheme and the placement of furniture in the home.

The principles of feng shui may actually work in real estate simply because they encourage people to arrange their house in an uncluttered fashion, with an eye for pleasing colors. Magic spells and astrology, though... are these people genuine, or are they simply taking peoples' money? The truth is that the efficacy of such things has never been proven. It's one thing to look at your horoscope for fun; another to hand someone hundreds or thousands of dollars, only to be told that your house didn't sell because the stars weren't aligned properly.

In the end, I would urge you to put your faith in a Realtor, whose 'magic' you can rely on.