Why Healthy Homes Matter to Me: A Personal Perspective

My interest in the relationship between homes and well-being began long before I started working in real estate. It began with the way my grandfather talked about nature—and with a question I still bring to every property: how does this place support the people who live here?

Balueva Donstein · September 30, 2026

A lesson I grew up with

I grew up in a small village in Russia. My grandfather spoke about nature as something to respect, not simply use. He noticed the land, the seasons and the materials around him. I remember those ideas because they made a home feel connected to its setting, not separate from it.

Finding the same question in New York

After nearly a decade working in New York City real estate, I have seen how much thought goes into a building’s design, construction and finishes. I began to ask more questions about what makes a home feel comfortable, how materials are chosen and how the surrounding environment becomes part of daily life.

Tradition and research can sit side by side

My studies in Building Biology, Feng Shui, Vedic architecture and related approaches gave me several ways to look at a space. They are not all the same kind of knowledge, and I do not treat a traditional practice as scientific proof. What they share is an invitation to pay attention—to orientation, movement, materials, light and the relationship between a home and its surroundings.

What this means when I help a client

We still begin with the fundamentals: location, price, building finances and condition, rental potential and long-term plans. Then, if it matters to the client, we look at how the home may fit their routines and values. I notice things such as natural light, layout, ventilation, noise, materials and access to nature, and bring in qualified specialists for technical questions.

A home should work in real life

There is no one formula for a good home. Different people need different things. My role is to help clients weigh the practical and personal details together, so the decision feels informed—not driven by a trend, a checklist or a promise that one apartment can solve everything.