Harmony complements house hunting. Did you know the Moon plays an important role in real estate selection and purchases? The Moon is the natural ruler of the fourth house—home—the emotional driver that influences your choice in living quarters. Even though your natal Moon may not fall in the fourth house in your astrology chart, it is important to know both its sign and location, as well as the sign on the cusp (door) to your fourth house. That sign provides descriptive insight into the qualities and characteristics that will ultimately guide you in your quest for a home. Along with personal preferences, the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui (the art of placement) blends well with astrology and focuses on location, so that you find accommodations that make you feel prosperous, happy, and healthy at home. Many real estate contracts in today's market contain a contingency clause that reads "subject to Feng Shui inspection." The Feng Shui-savvy buyer initiates the action at the time of signing the contract purchase, inserting this contingency clause, and then usually hires, at their own expense, a Feng Shui practitioner to analyze the house. If it does not pass a Feng Shui inspection, just like with a home inspection, the buyer is under no obligation to buy.

Home shoppers flock to the internet, looking at the inventory of homes and desired features in their optimal price range. Before you connect with a realtor and begin a serious search, check your credit scores, meet with mortgage lenders offering competitive rates, and proceed to line up pre-approved financing. Many factors enter into your decision to buy a home: how much money you have to spend; where you want to live; the type and size of home that suits your needs; and curb appeal, the external layout or Feng Shui factor that attracts you to specific properties. This article aims to help you facilitate smooth real estate decisions by understanding how your Moon's qualities interact with sound Feng Shui principles to lead you to the perfect home.

Feng Shui and Real Estate
I was a realtor in the Commonwealth of Virginia for twenty-two years before moving to Florida in 2014. Many of my clients knew I was also an astrologer who could help them synchronize their charts to select dates for signing contracts and scheduling settlements, as well as examine potential properties from a Feng Shui perspective, another of my areas of expertise. I developed Feng Shui courses for public consumption and presented workshops to realtors wishing to know more about the emerging interests of sophisticated buyers looking for prime properties. If you are unfamiliar with Feng Shui, the following tips may help.

Feng Shui (pronounced "fung schway") is the key to environmental harmony. It creates flow that enhances the quality of your life; shows you how to arrange your outer world to balance your inner world; helps you attract positive business and personal relationships; and acknowledges your attitude, goals, and feelings. Feng Shui means wind and water; the art of living in harmony with earth; promotion of wellness, happiness, and contentment; and spiritual abundance. Terms of importance in home buying include Chi or dragon's breath—the universal life force found in every living thing—and Shar, or poison arrows, which are negative energies that travel in long straight lines or stabbing movements. A Shar is negative energy caused by the arrangement of specific features of the home, such as the contours. The Chinese believe everything was created from five basic elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Every home benefits from incorporating these elements to create Chi.

Avoid looking at properties that have an unkempt or cluttered look. Clutter is stagnant Chi and when you find it in a home it creates unsettled conditions and problems for buyers. As you tour a home, look at everything—kitchen, bedroom, living rooms, bathrooms, and garage; examine closets, drawers, décor, shelves, household maintenance in general, and the whole outdoor space, including the car. Clutter confuses home seekers and suggests unfinished business exists in the home. It may also contribute to ill health. Unkempt properties suggest sellers may have a poverty consciousness and it affects how principals (buyers and sellers) think and act. Unless you are in the market for a serious fixer-upper, look for a property that represents your idea of the perfect residence and radiates positive Chi.

Feng Shui Conventions
Very few houses are perfect. When looking at homes, pay attention to the shape and style. Square or oblong houses are more desirable than unusual shapes. Don't worry though, Feng Shui remedies exist for those odd shapes, especially if you are willing to square off or make the lot line rectangular using landscaping and contouring techniques. Look for properties with attractive, well-kept landscaping, plus fresh mulch and flowers that enhance curb appeal. Be sure you can see the front door as you approach the house; if a "blocker" tree diminishes the view, it creates a Shar, or negative flow of energy, that poisons the energy and may prevent prosperity from entering the home. You may notice blemishes such as uneven walls or floors when you tour a property, but plants help Chi to circulate and hide defects in walls and room shapes. Use of natural, artificial, or silk plants enhances Chi, but never use dried flowers (dead). Strong potpourri scents may be masking toxic odors and creating poor air quality. Split-level homes confuse Chi direction; in fact, so do any homes that require you to enter on a higher level than the rest of the house. This feature diminishes prosperity and resale power. Going "downstairs" to the rest of the house signifies a demotion or loss of status.

Moon Signs and Feng Shui
Your Moon sign drives the emotional attachment you have to your home. It governs personal preferences and those "gotta have" features you desire when you search for a residence. Use the following information to validate your choices and also to identify the sign on the cusp (front door) of your fourth house of home and foundation. These Feng Shui conventions apply to every sign.

Aries Moon: Homes represent personality and individuality. A unique exterior style begins at the front door with an entryway that features the five Feng Shui elements—a wood door painted red (fire) with a portico or porch painted a pale blue (water). Your foyer is likely to house collectibles displayed in étagères, on walls, or on shelves, designed to reveal your interests. If entry space cannot accommodate displays, look for a home with a hobby room, workshop, or den. Driving is one of your passions and you like ample parking space, preferring a double or triple garage to keep diverse vehicles—car, RV, scooter, or motorcycle—in pristine shape. You're good with tools and enjoy a space to build or repair equipment.

Taurus Moon: The value you derive from material things contributes to your peace of mind as you choose well-made furniture and accessories reflective of your refined style. Impressive landscaping that surrounds your home directs visitors to your large front door (double doors are preferred) and allows positive Chi to enter your home and circulate the wealth throughout every room. Never buy a home that has a large tree or unruly shrub blocking the view of your front door. Brick facades, walkways, and fireplaces highlight the earth element. Your flair for gardening transforms space with beautiful flowers, cheerful plants, and regal shrubs.

Gemini Moon: Location matters. Many Gemini Moons dislike yardwork and prefer residences that demand very little of it. Whether you are on a quest for a sleek condo, a towering highrise, or a classic two-story residence, pay attention to the surrounding energy. A home's roofline fascinates you more than most signs. To maximize positive Chi, never buy space at the bottom or the top of a high-rise or live in the basement of a condo. If you buy a single family residence, be sure it is not on a dead-end street. An avid communicator, you are naturally attracted to homes with built-in shelves and abundant storage to accommodate your collection of books, materials, and media equipment. If you opt for a library, select a room in the quiet part of the home. You're known for buying two of everything to balance energy—two candles, two lamps, two sets of shelves, and two computers.

Cancer Moon: "Nothing says lovin' like something in the oven," and you are the sign that wants a kitchen equipped with state-of-the-art double ovens, convection ovens, broilers, and grills to turn out your famous recipes. In Feng Shui, the kitchen is the heart of the home and controls the pulse, so select a home with a kitchen that is not visible from the front door. Centrally located kitchens emanate prosperity, while a front kitchen is conducive to eating out a lot. Never place the range in the space below a bathroom located on the floor above (plumbing leaks). Don't place it below a window either; it's not safe since winds may ignite a fire. Do choose stainless steel appliances with metal accessories and hardware to accelerate positive Chi. Eat-in kitchens are a must.

Leo Moon: Regal Leo loves to make a sweeping entrance to the home via a large foyer with curving staircase and dramatic chandelier. Look for stairs that angle gracefully away from a straight line up from the front door. The Leo Moon's housing choice reflects their desire for one-of-a-kind properties that look expensive. Avoid purchasing a home on a corner lot thinking your home's value will accelerate and you'll have more privacy. You'll pay more for it, yet the exact opposite occurs since traffic patterns hit in at least two directions, bringing huge distractions to the home's energy via those poison arrows or Shars. Enjoy decorative columns, marble floors, and space-doubling mirrors in a perpendicular line from the front door.

Virgo Moon: You prefer a nice backyard that gives you space to plant flowers, vegetables, and vining plants like tomatoes and squash. Balance yin and yang in the garden with a variety of light and dark shrubs planted along curving paths and walkways. Known for your organizational flair, you desire a laundry room with its own sink and efficiency-oriented washers and dryers, built-in folding tables, and ironing boards. Virgo Moons have a special interest in food preparation, nutrition, serving stations, and kitchen appliances. Round or oval tables are ideal for dining. A balanced meal includes both raw (yin) and cooked (yang) foods. Use candles, too.

Libra Moon: When house-shopping, check out the rooms that provide entertaining space: front porches, family rooms, sunrooms, outdoor decks, media lounges with theatre-type seating, or playrooms. A dining room is a must-have accommodation to showcase your talent for presenting celebratory meals. Add-ons include a butler's pantry or snack bar. Be sure to use chairs with backs, especially if your room has a number of windows (a Feng Shui protection convention for your back). Mirrors make the room look larger. Decorate with touches of red for abundance, good appetites, and festivity.

Scorpio Moon: You're one of the signs that examines the layout of the master bedroom for comfortable sleeping amenities and an en suite bathroom. If this bathroom is in the front of your home over the entrance door, keep looking for a better floorplan. Bathrooms expel waste, which flows out of the house and prevents prosperity from entering. Be sure your home inspection includes a thorough look at the plumbing system. Even if the master bathroom is located elsewhere, don't place the headboard next to the wall that houses the toilet or sleep will be disrupted from the sound of those negative "flushing" Shars. Square or rectangular bedrooms are the ideal shape and work best if you position your bed so you can see the door. Place your bed against a solid wall, never in front of a window, and don't install fans above the bed. Then buy those sexy, luxurious satin sheets and enjoy a restful night's sleep.

Sagittarius Moon: Your sign is adventurous when it comes to home buying. You tend to select vintage homes or those that need redecorating to meet your standards. Be wary of property owners (aka packrats) who leave garages, spare rooms, and basements filled with years of accumulated papers, records, and collectibles. The clutter amasses stagnant Chi and represents buried issues. It can be expensive to pay for removal. Negotiate with the seller to remove everything before settlement. Multi-story homes are your preferred style, especially if you can turn attic space into a hobby room, study, or library. Remove confining walls and create an open space concept in family areas that can also display your treasured wood cabinetry and stone fireplace. After investing considerable cash to remodel and customize rooms to reflect your taste, make the outdoor space your next project. Sagittarius Moons often buy and flip homes when the market is ripe for these transactions, turning the profit into a new acquisition.

Capricorn Moon: Your observant Moon likes homes that make a great first impression with a "magazine" look and the Mr. Clean touch. You prefer homes with easily defined space and elegant dining rooms. Known for your workaholic tendencies in this telecommuting world, your "must have" home luxury is a custom office with privacy doors, built-in bookcases, a wellequipped computer workstation, and glass cabinets to showcase awards, citations, and collections. Minimize distractions by arranging your workspace so that you don't look out onto a hall or face stairs, closets, storage areas, or a window with significant traffic distractions that disturb concentration. Add a fountain in the northwest corner of your room to create soothing sounds. Decorate with favorite colors and use an inviting round or oval worktable with guest chairs for visitors.

Aquarius Moon: Mid-century modern and contemporary homes speak to you. Look at homes on streets where houses are relatively the same height so that a large McMansion does not block the light that energizes your uniquely laid out one-story home. Sometimes you like a minimalist or monochromatic approach to decorating. Be sure you have no bare walls. Musical instruments or photos of them create positive Chi. Use paintings, tapestries, and metal wall sculptures to add harmony and balance to your rooms. Plants revitalize corners and give a completed look to a room or foyer. Huge mirrors are a must to create an illusion of space, but make sure they are not comprised of mirrored tiles or that you face a mirror as soon as you open the front door, as this allows prosperity to rush right out the door.

Pisces Moon: You favor a home that is all on one floor, whether it is a sprawling ranch, a stylish condo, or a delightful duplex. Don't purchase a home on a T intersection or at the end of a culde-sac. Shars from oncoming traffic head straight to the front doors or windows, disturbing tranquility. Headlights from oncoming cars disrupt sleep. A home that includes a private loft is perfect for your desire to meditate, practice yoga, read, write, or work on hobbies. Another preference is a sumptuous master suite with a private bath that offers separate his and hers vanities, huge walk-in closets with built-ins, especially those that house your substantial shoe collection. Your shy nature prefers a private door to the water closet and a restful color scheme that includes your favorite aqua, sea green, or lavender tones.

Resources
Hale, Gill. The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui. London: Lorenz, 1999
Webster, Richard. Feng Shui for Beginners. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2003.

Excerpted from Llewellyn's 2021 Moon Sign Book.