Prayers, talismans and lucky emoji bring hope in a market where second-hand home prices have been falling for more than three years.<\/b>
\nFor homeowners in mainland China, selling a property has become so difficult that some are turning to xuanxue, a neo-Taoist philosophy that has morphed into internet slang for any superstitious ritual meant to enhance luck, from feng shui tweaks to cyber talismans.
Praying in temples, buying \u2018quick-sale\u2019 talismans, or simply writing the word \u201csold\u201d on a piece of red paper are just a few examples.
When a homeowner in Shanghai recently claimed on social media that she found a buyer after praying at Shanghai\u2019s Jing\u2019an Temple and touching the hand of a Buddha statue, hundreds piled on with a prayer-hand emoji \u2013 hoping some of her luck would transfer to them.
\u201cPraying my apartment will sell fast,\u201d many commented. \u201cI have three to sell,\u201d one added.
In the fifth year of the property market\u2019s downward spiral, such superstitious practices among homeowners underline their pessimism and desperation as property prices continue to fall.
Real estate agents said homes were taking longer to sell amid low demand, making buyers more aggressive in price negotiations. The longer sellers waited, the lower prices would go, they added.<\/p>\n