The Contra Costa Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors is sponsoring Feng Shui for Success with Marsha Golangco. Marsha has been specializing in Cross-Cultural Feng Shui since 1988. In her work, she combines her Eastern upbringing with her Western education to bring cultural awareness and understanding to the principles of Feng Shui.

You may recall our post Feng Shui California Style back in February of 2007 in which we asked – “What the heck is Feng Shui and should I be scared?”

Join the WCR and Marsha on June 20th at the Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, California at 9:15am. Call the hotline – (925) 901–4849

Coming to you from Peets at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon -

What the heck is Feng Shui and should I be scared?

In the real estate industry Feng Shui is hot. We have San Ramon houses, offices and landscapes being Feng Shui-ed every which way but loose. Feng Shui is one of those eastern ideas/practices/disciplines that has become popularized in the West and dumbed down like everything else for minds educated on Cliff Notes, grade curves, expediency and “like, you know.”

I’m a fan and believer in Feng Shui. You might not get that from the opening paragraph.

Consider the 3 Principles of Feng Shui:

• Everything is Alive
• Everything is Connected
• Everything Changes

Feng Shui is about energy, relationships and time. Or dynamics, placement and change. Or, Feng Shui is the story of particular people in a particular place (house,office). Or maybe… the art of placement and relationship.

 A friend of mine, Barclay Law, who practices a form of it says, “I work with the aspects of your space within the context of time. This includes form, function, geography, orientation, direction, placement, boundaries, relationship, movement, energy, dynamism, and harmonics. Using the knowledge of Feng Shui, we can bring balance into your space resulting in a deeper sense of grounding and well-being.” 

Her website is Design With Feeling.  Here's a slice of her site.

These are the elements she says she works with.

• Space – geography, orientation, direction, placement, boundaries, relationship…
• Time – movement, energy, dynamism, change, harmonics, cycles…
• Form/Function
• Patterns – perception, intuition, influence
• Chi (life-energy) – life – boundlessness

There is also the Body of the Dragon = harmony, balance, centered, grounded

For her Feng Shui is creatively exploring the study of how to arrange your environment to enhance your life. It is very unique to each person/couple/family and space/place.

I introduced some friends of mine, Greg and Holly Beck (The Balloon Man) to Barclay. They are using her to help them with their house in Walnut Creek. Holly told me that it is fascinating to watch Barclay work – “It’s like each piece is speaking to her.”

Barclay’s philosophy mirrors that of Katherine Graham -

“To love what you do and feel that it matters –

how could anything be more fun?"

Welcome to San Ramon Valley Real Estate Prices

Working with home owners moving into the San Ramon Valley from out of state often means working with a severe case of “California Sticker Shock.”

Barclay Law, a recent transplant from Asheville, N.C. to San Ramon, faced this very situation recently when she started looking at East Bay real estate:

“I had heard and read a lot about California home prices, but when you actually start shopping, it’s a real eye-opener. I really had to adjust my expectations and criteria”

Real estate prices in the San Ramon Valley are experiencing some downward pressure and buyers are seeing a little more weight on their side of the negotiating table. Having a strong negotiator is a real plus for buyers in this market.

“I was really pleased by how much The Harper Team was able to negotiate on my behalf. I’m still in shock, but I have a roof over my head and my cats are safe.”

Barclay has a gift for design and decorating. She is also a practitioner of Feng Shui. Her website is Design With Feeling. 

Welcome to San Ramon and congratulations on your investment in California real estate!