Chinese Superstitions in Calgary Real Estate

In order to maximize the sales opportunities for your home in our diverse community, you may wish to consider Chinese superstitions for buying Calgary Real Estate, such as a house. The Chinese are the second largest minority group in Calgary - they make up about 6% of the population here! Chinese culture is prevalent with beliefs and customs; in today’s world of globalization, Calgary continues to gain traffic from this region.

Chinese superstitions range from keeping turtles out of captivity to purchasing a home with the number “8” in the address for good luck. While some Chinese are adamant about obeying customs, others regard them simply as a matter of tradition.

Acknowledging Chinese beliefs doesn’t just spread cultural awareness. It helps Calgary become a more integrated community as the Canadian “melting pot” grows.

Keeping the Chi Flowing

When it comes to Chinese superstitions for buying a house, some traditionalists believe having obstacles in front of your home blocks the positive energy, or “chi”, from entering the home. Therefore, certain home buyers do not like homes with a tree or any other item in front of the front door. For this same reason, homes lying on a "T" intersection may be deemed undesirable.

A common method of checking the flow of chi is to imagine the energy as water. For instance, would the water flow harmoniously and smoothly through the main door of your home and gently through the back, or are there places it would stagnate?

If there are blockages the energy may encounter such as a wall or closet in close proximity to the front door, the flow would be impeded.  Other scenarios that can contribute to the leakage of chi are:

• Mirrors facing the main door
• Stairs facing the main door

Because a goal for many Chinese is to welcome chi to the home, some superstitions also have guidelines regarding the placement of doors. Namely, the front door should not be aligned with the back door, otherwise, it is believed the chi will flow in and then flow right back out of the home. Many who abide by Chinese customs also believe it is best to have a home built on higher ground, as this decreases the likelihood of encountering negative energy.

Balancing Act

There are several Chinese superstitions for buying a home regarding building site and direction. These superstitions are largely based on the Chinese custom of Feng Shui, which is a system of beliefs involving building and arranging structures in a way that allows good health and fortune to freely flow through the property. In Chinese culture, many believe certain types of homes enable you to receive wealth and energize your career.

The most important factor is selecting an auspicious home is the location of the front door and of the door one most frequently enters and exits. If the garage door is most frequently used to enter and exit the home, then the location combinations of the garage and the front door determine a home’s degree of prosperity.

According to Feng Shui, there are eight kinds of favorable homes that can give people solid financial status, harmonious relationships and happy marriage statuses:

• Type 1: The front door of the house faces to the south and the garage door faces east, southeast or south.
• Type 2:  The front door of the house faces to the northeast and the garage door faces northeast west, or northwest.
• Type 3: The front door of the house faces west and the garage door faces north or south.
• Type 4: The front door of the house faces northwest and the garage door faces south, north or east.
• Type 5: The front door of the house faces southeast and the garage door faces west or northeast.
• Type 6: The front door of the house faces east and the garage door faces northwest or southwest.
• Type 7: The front door of the house faces southwest and the garage door faces northwest or southwest.
• Type 8: The front door of the house faces north and the garage door faces east or southeast.

It's All in the Numbers

Many traditional Chinese home buyers in Calgary pay particular attention to the address of the home. This is because numbers play a significant role in Chinese superstition. The number 8, for example, is considered to be a lucky number because the pronunciation for number 8 is similar to the Chinese word for "prosperity." The numbers 18, 13 and 168 are also considered to be lucky.

The number 4, on the other hand, is sometimes considered to be unlucky because its pronunciation is similar to the pronunciation of the word that means "death”. The number 4 may be acceptable if it is combined with the number 5 because the number 54 represents "no death”.

The best way to understand the energy of numbers is to look into numerology, the ancient science of numbers which will allow you to see similarities and patterns in specific numbers and in combinations. The following is a very basic meaning to the energy in numbers 0-9:

• 0 - void, nothingness, potential
• 1 - unobstructed flow of energy, new beginnings
• 2 - balance, choice, cooperation
• 3 - creativity, family, self-expression
• 4 - stability, grounding, security, some may interpret as “death”
• 5 - change, resourcefulness, adventure
• 6 - calm, patience
• 7 - contemplation, self-evaluation, solitude
• 8 - infinity, abundance, success in business
• 9 - highest number, accomplishment, attainment.

Though not all Chinese superstitions are abided by, we live in a diverse society where everyone has a right to have beliefs and customs respected. As a Calgary real estate agent, constantly learning, acknowledging and respecting these beliefs is one of many ways to help create a happy community. Honoring Chinese superstitions for buying a Calgary Real Estate should be considered in order to maximize sale potential and demonstrate cultural sensitivity.