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Developers: Calif. City Has Bad Feng Shui
The Tampa Tribune ^ | 12-27-2005

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."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; fengshui; whereelse
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To: Lonely Bull

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.


101 posted on 12/27/2005 2:44:59 PM PST by 04-Bravo
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To: Cagey

Now, why couldn't I come up with some sort of moneymaking scheme like this "Feng-Shui" stuff? People actually PAY for it!


102 posted on 12/27/2005 2:45:56 PM PST by JimRed ("Hey, hey, Teddy K., how many girls did you drown today?")
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To: theDentist

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.


103 posted on 12/27/2005 2:46:27 PM PST by Kozak (Anti Shahada: " There is no God named Allah, and Muhammed is his False Prophet")
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To: bluefish

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.


104 posted on 12/27/2005 2:49:21 PM PST by dalereed
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To: bluefish; dalereed
There's much more to it than that! Business and Professional people are allowed to have standards and the customer/client is NOT always right!!!

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!!!)

105 posted on 12/27/2005 2:55:03 PM PST by SierraWasp (EnvironMentalism... America's establishment of it's new unconstitutional State Religion!!!)
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To: VOA
feng shui consulting firm

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.

106 posted on 12/27/2005 2:56:21 PM PST by JimSEA (America cannot have an exit strategy from the world.)
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To: dalereed

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.


107 posted on 12/27/2005 2:57:13 PM PST by bluefish (Holding out for worthy tagline...)
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To: SierraWasp
I think it depends on the type of work.

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.

108 posted on 12/27/2005 3:01:23 PM PST by bluefish (Holding out for worthy tagline...)
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To: Cagey

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.


109 posted on 12/27/2005 3:04:28 PM PST by RightWhale (pas de lieu, Rhone que nous)
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To: bluefish

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!!!


110 posted on 12/27/2005 3:10:40 PM PST by SierraWasp (EnvironMentalism... America's establishment of it's new unconstitutional State Religion!!!)
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To: bluefish
As long as the check clears.

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.

111 posted on 12/27/2005 3:21:14 PM PST by ApplegateRanch (Islam: a Satanically Transmitted Disease, spread by unprotected intimate contact with the Koranus.)
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To: billorites

ROFL! Pinging to save.


112 posted on 12/27/2005 4:28:44 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget - And Never Again)
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To: Cagey

Californians. Lord give me patience.


113 posted on 12/27/2005 4:29:46 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all.)
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To: Tall_Texan

I guess it could have been worse. But I don't know how!


114 posted on 12/28/2005 8:40:33 AM PST by Froufrou
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