Which Blocks Are Bad Feng Shui?
The blocks practitioners most often warn against are a block at the end of a T junction, a corner block, a block lower at the back than the front, and a house number with a four in it. None of these can be read off a floor plan, so the feng shui friendly label on Dudils never claims them. They are worth checking yourself before you buy.
For a NSW address, the free Site Checker and the block search show most of what you need from the address alone. Schools of feng shui differ on these rules, so treat this as a summary of the common ones, not a full reading by a practitioner.
Why is a block at a T junction bad feng shui?
Because a road that runs straight at the front of a house is said to send fast, aggressive energy at it, and practitioners compare it to a knife or an arrow aimed at the home. The practical reading is much the same. Headlights sweep the front rooms at night, the traffic drives straight at the house, and a car that misses the turn ends up in the front yard.
A solid front fence, a hedge or trees between the road and the house are the usual fixes, and some agents and practitioners suggest a convex mirror at the front.
Is a corner block bad feng shui?
Many practitioners say yes, because traffic wraps around two sides and the house has less shelter, and some compare the curve of the road at a corner to a sickle. The practical side is mixed: a corner block has two street frontages, more setbacks and less privacy, but often more light and room for a second driveway.
Planting along the side street, and a solid fence where the living areas face it, deal with both the energy and the traffic.
Does the slope of a block matter in feng shui?
Yes. Classical feng shui wants the back of the house higher than the front, like a chair with a backrest, with the land falling gently to the front. A block that falls away at the back is said to let the support and the wealth of the home slide away.
The practical side cuts both ways. A block that falls to the back often cannot drain its stormwater to the street by gravity, so it may need an easement over the neighbour's land or a pump, which adds cost. A block that rises at the back drains to the street, but needs a cut and retaining walls for a level building platform, and the water coming down from behind has to be caught before it reaches the house. For an indicative fall from the address, use the free slope calculator.
Which house numbers are lucky and unlucky in feng shui?
Four is the number most often avoided, because in Mandarin and Cantonese it sounds like the word for death. Eight is the number most sought, because it sounds like the word for prosperity, and some buyers will pay more for an address with an eight in it. Nine is linked to a long life.
Agents selling to buyers who follow feng shui know this, so a number can matter at resale even if it does not matter to you.
How do I check a block for feng shui before I buy?
Start from the address. For a NSW block, the free Site Checker shows the zone, the flood and bushfire mapping, the slope and the lot boundary over an aerial photo, which also shows whether the block faces a T junction or sits on a corner. The block search draws the block, works out which way it faces and shows the plans that fit it with their living areas facing north.
For the rest of the checks, see the guide on checking a block before you buy, and for the floor plan itself, the guide to feng shui house plans.
Common questions
Is a cul de sac bad feng shui?
Practitioners differ. Some like the quiet and the slow traffic, and others worry that the end of a cul de sac collects stale energy. A block at the very end, facing straight up the street, is read by some like a T junction.
Can the feng shui friendly label tell me about the block?
No. The label is read off the floor plan alone, before the house is placed on any block, so it says nothing about the street, the slope or the house number. Check those for the block you are buying.
Is a block on a busy road bad feng shui?
Most practitioners prefer a road that curves gently past the home to fast, straight traffic. The practical concerns of noise, headlights and safety are the same ones an architect would raise.