🎃 ’Tis the Season to Ask: Spooked or Sold? 👻 Would You Buy a Haunted House?
Even with more homes creeping back onto the market, one question still lingers: how do Americans really feel about buying or living in a haunted house? According to surveys by Clever Real Estate, it turns out most people are far more afraid of real-world problems than things that go bump in the night.
👻 What Scares Home Buyers The Most?
Only 7% of Americans say ghosts are the scariest part of homeownership. Instead, most people fear the real-world horrors of unexpected costs (56%), high interest rates (44%), and bad neighbors (43%).
An overwhelming 95% worry more about home repair nightmares like:
Mold (80%)
Foundation issues (74%)
Termites (73%)
🏚️ Haunted, But A Bargain? Many Home Buyers Say Yes, Please.
Surprisingly, 72% of people said they’d consider buying a haunted house — if the price was right.
Other deal-making conditions include:
35% would buy to move to a better or safer neighborhood
32% would buy for more square footage
29% would buy for additional bedrooms
And nearly half (48%) said they’d rather live in a haunted house than within a mile of a waste management facility.
😨 Ghosts vs. Real-Life Frights
When it comes to location, Americans would rather live with ghosts than near:
The scene of a violent crime (47%)
A former meth lab (45%)
A prison (44%)
Interestingly, 1 in 9 Americans (11%) knowingly moved into a haunted home — and stayed!
But not everyone would do it again: 58% of those who’ve lived in haunted houses say they wouldn’t repeat the experience, while 46% of those who haven’t say they’d never buy one.
🏠 Zillow’s Take: Hauntingly Practical Buyers
A Zillow survey revealed that:
40% would buy a haunted house if it had the right features
32% would do so if it was in the right neighborhood
70% said they’d buy if it checked every box on their “must-have” list
Nearly 30% admit a haunted home might actually increase their interest
And 12% of homeowners believe their current home already is haunted 👀
🕸️So, would you buy a haunted house — or does that idea send shivers down your spine?
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING A HAUNTED HOUSE:
Whatever your personal feelings about buying and living in a haunted house, keep in mind that:
- Buying or selling a haunted house can turn into a legal and financial mess. In some areas, sellers are legally obligated to tell potential buyers if a home is said to be haunted, whether they ask or not. In other areas this is not a material or a required disclosure, so you really need to know the rules in your area. In North Carolina, there is no requirement for a home seller to disclose information about ghosts. In South Carolina disclosure is required only if asked by the buyer. For a state-by-state list of what different states require in terms of disclosures about paranormal activities in a home, click here.
- Houses with a reputation for being haunted see lower value and can be difficult, if not almost impossible to sell. According to lowermybill.com, a haunted house can see its value reduced by as much as 17%.
NINA HOLLANDER CAN MAKE YOUR HOME SEARCH OR SALE TERRIFYINGLY EASY AND STRESS FREE!
No reason to be spooked if you've been thinking about buying or selling a Greater Charlotte area home (haunted or not) during the 2025 Halloween season. Nina Hollander with Coldwell Banker can promise you a terrifyingly easy and stress free home search and/or sale process, just as I've been doing for Greater Charlotte region home buyers and sellers since 1999.
OVERCOME YOUR FEARS ABOUT TODAY'S HOUSING MARKET: VIDEO
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