by WRE News, Oct 17, 2023
More than half of Americans would be open to buying a haunted house and nearly three quarters of them would be willing if they could save money on the deal, according to a Halloween season-timed survey coordinated by Clever Real Estate.
Most Americans (62%) would only offer below market value for a haunted home, with one in three (31%) claiming they would offer at least $50,000 less. However, 48% said nothing could convince them to purchase a haunted house.
Just 7% of Americans say ghosts are the scariest aspect of homeownership, though — 93% express a greater fear of home repair issues, such as mold (60%), termites (57%), and a leaky roof (54%), than the presence of ghosts in their homes.
The survey also found that more than one in four Americans (29%) claiming they’ve lived in a haunted house, with nearly three-quarters of those homeowners insisting they were not told of the paranormal tenants therein. And 40% of those who knowingly bought a haunted house said the lower listing price convinced them to acquire the property – although more than one-third of them regretted their decision and 55% said they would not buy another home they knew was haunted.
Furthermore, 68% of respondents believed the government should mandate sellers to disclose if a home is haunted – at the moment, such a mandate is not being considered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
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