Posted on 12/27/2005 12:32:06 PM PST by Cagey
HAYWARD, California (AP) -- Developers looking to maximize the marketability of their homes are complaining about the city's street address rules, which they claim can scare off buyers who practice the ancient Chinese art of feng shui.
Under a numbering system established by Alameda County in the 1950s, addresses are assigned based on how far the homes are from downtown Oakland, a method that puts five digits on almost every mailbox in Hayward and other cities in the county.
The numbers have always been hard to remember, but home builders recently raised concerns that they may decrease property values because the odds are greater that an address will carry a number considered unlucky by feng shui practitioners.
Feng shui holds that the way buildings are designed can affect the fortunes and health of inhabitants.
"Now developers are saying, 'Why do we have to do it this way?'" Sylvia Ehrenthal, Hayward's director of economic and community development, told The Oakland Tribune for a Monday story. "There are some numbers people don't like to have in their address."
City Council members, five of whom live at addresses with numbers that start in the 20,000 range, voted unanimously last week to allow the builders of an upscale development to use shorter street numbers. In seeking the waiver, the builders cited convenience concerns as well as the potential for violating feng shui precepts, according to Richard Patenaude, Hayward's principal planner.
Real estate agent Lisa Coen, of nearby Pleasanton, who also runs a feng shui consulting firm, said she has advised developers on how to make homes attractive to buyers who would not want to live at the end of a cul-de-sac or where a door opens onto a staircase.
"It does matter to some people. It really does matter," Coen said. "They won't buy a house ... if the number's not right."
The cities in Alameda County that incorporated after 1950 use four-digit house numbers for streets that run east to west, and five-digit house numbers for the north-south streets. I always assumed this was designed by the U.S. Postal Service, but I don't really know.
Now, why couldn't I come up with some sort of moneymaking scheme like this "Feng-Shui" stuff? People actually PAY for it!
Check out the Penn and Teller show "Bullshit" where they bring in the Feng Shui phoneys and they get nailed with a hidden camera. It's a thing of beauty.
I have all the work I can handle and am usually backed up at least a month, I don't have to or won't work for nut cases or liberals.
I scrupulously avoid crazy people that will believe any kind of BS, myself. Life is too short and these nuts are always a waste of resources!!! (Oh! And energy, too!!!)
There has got to be money in it. We know a couple in Thailand where to wife is Thai Buddhist and the Chinese - Thai husband is Daoist / Buddhist. Having been quite good in their business, they decided to build a nice house several years ago. He went nuts with the "auspicious" house design and orientation. When he had already poured the foundation, the "adviser" told him the orientation was all wrong so he tore it up and started over. The boulders for the garden along with its design set them back by 10 grand alone.
The Thai will consult a monk and have ceremonies before, during and after completion, not to mention the spirit house, properly placed for the disturbed spirits of the property. However, their rigmarole is nothing compared the the Daoist.
I guess if you can pick and choose your cliets you might as well work for those you like. In my work, acribe a premium value to partners that don't drive me nuts. Working with them makes me more productive.
Remember, we are talking about selling a home here. If it is in a community with lots of Asians who believe in Feng Shui, then there is no place for that attitude. What if you are a Realtor? You would have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the sale of your client's home. That might entail working with nutcases or liberals. If you refuse, you are then in the wrong line of work.
House numbers in California have been monstrously huge for years. The house on a road miles from work has more to contend with than fung schway when gasoline prices start rising again.
Fortunately, I'm in a position where I can chose my clients. If you can't chose your clients then they are like family and you are just plain stuck!!!
Only to a point.
It is not worth the grief of having to face the 'right way' while using the 'right color' screw driver, while wearing the 'right color' shirt. After the work is correctly performed, the client comes down with a case of 'the vapors' and sues blaming her 'illness' on the 'bad vibes' you polluted her house with.
Preposterous? Yes. Be tossed out of court? Yes. Have to waste time filing a response? Damned well better, if you don't want a default judgement against you.
It's just not worth it to deal with, work for, or otherwise interact with, the insane or otherwise loony.
Let them hire a fellow-loony who knows the proper mumbo-jumbo, and can maybe also do the work, since the mumbo-jumbo is usuall more important to them than a timely, quality job.
ROFL! Pinging to save.
Californians. Lord give me patience.
I guess it could have been worse. But I don't know how!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.