The year of the fire rooster will be full of opportunities as long as people stay away from "negative sectors" in their homes and workplaces, a feng shui expert said Friday.

Astrologer and feng shui master Hanz Cua shared some tips on how to avoid bad luck and enjoy good fortune in 2017

COUNTERING BAD LUCK

With the use of a compass, identify the north, south, east, and west parts of your home or office.

The unlucky sectors in 2017 are the south, northwest, west, and southwest.

Activating these parts of the home or workplace may bring in misfortune, health problems, accidents, loss of work or financial problems, Cua said.

To avoid "activating" the unlucky sectors:
- Do not sleep or linger in these areas
- Do not put items that create loud music, such as telephones, radios, speakers, here
- Put five stones in a can, cover it and place it on the south side of the home to help the metal element neutralize the earth element that brings misfortune
- Place a glass of salt or salt lamp on the northwest sector of the home to contradict illnesses
- Place a glass of water on the west sector to ward off anger, quarrels, and misunderstandings
- Place a glass of water in the southwest sector to avoid burglary, theft, and betrayal

ENHANCING GOOD FORTUNE

The lucky sectors in 2017 are the east, north, center, northeast, and southeast, Cua said.

Spending time in those areas may help enhance one's luck, he said.

Atrract good fortune by doing the following:
- Place lights in the lucky sectors
- Wear red colored clothes on December 31 to January 1
- Spread coins before midnight of January 1
- Turn on all the lights before 2017 comes in
- Open all doors and windows on New Year's Eve
- De-clutter the home or office before the year ends

12 KINDS OF FRUITS

The tradition of serving round fruits on New Year's Eve may help bring good fortune, especially if there are 12 kinds on the media noche table, Cua said.

"Serving 12 kinds of fruits signifies having 12 prosperous months in a year," Cua said.

Some fruits that are not round in shape should also be part of the dozen as these have special meanings in feng shui, Cua said. These are:

- Pineapple - Pineapple in Chinese is "ong lai" which also means "for luck to come"
- Orange - the color of money for Chinese
- Apple - Apple in Chinese is "ping guo" which means good harmony of family members
- Banana - for the family to stick together through thick and thin

Watermelons, melons, pomelos, grapes, and other round fruits may be served to complete the variety of 12, he said.