Feng shui, meaning wind and water in Chinese, is a belief system that goes back thousands of years. The search for balance in these forces is influencing the United States real estate market, as buyers of everything from condominiums to cemeteries want the input of the ancient art that channels positive energy.

Houses are being decorated based on feng shui, according to John Pan, associate real estate broker with Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty. Instead of having an address that ends with the numeral four (which sounds like "death" in Chinese), home owners try to have their address changed so that it ends with the number eight (which sounds like "getting rich" in Chinese).

"Feng shui is not only a plus," said Pan. "It's a key element to push some of the products, especially in areas where there's a strong interest from the Chinese population."