‘Haunted’ Homes a Target for Lowball Offers, WIth Sellers Unlikely to Disclose

Is a real estate negotiation on a haunted home doomed from the start? Not necessarily, but concessions may be part of the process, according to Clever-affiliated researcher Real Estate Witch.

In the never-ending quest for a smart buy, 54% of Americans claim they would dare to buy a haunted house. That number ballooned to 72% of Americans who said they’d dare the unknown threats if they got a better price. 

Other factors as to whether Americans would take a chance on a haunted property were if it were located in a safer neighborhood (42% of respondents), the seller offered negotiation concessions (41%), or if it contained a large yard (36%). Another 36% of respondents say they’d take the plunge if the home had amenities that included modern appliances and renovations. 

The haunted house market doesn’t exist in a vacuum, however. Many homeowners say they would stand pat in a home that was haunted, with fewer than one in four (23%) saying they would move immediately if they discovered a supernatural guest in their home. This could create an opportunity for a sale in some creakier markets—you never know what’s under those floorboards. According to Real Estate Witch, these homeowners named low inventory and high prices as reasons for standing pat, both reasons that are affected by the market at large. 

Per Real Estate Witch, 69% of homeowners who say they have lived in a haunted house also admit that they’re harder to sell, and 60% of such homeowners think a haunted house would sell for less. The data from homebuyers backs this up, with two out of three Americans saying they’d expect a discount on the purchase of a home that was considered haunted. 

With the ghosts ruining potential profits, 68% of potential sellers said they wouldn’t voluntarily disclose the listing as a haunted house. Further, only 44% would only disclose the haunted nature of their home if required by law, 15% if asked by a potential buyer about supernatural experiences, and 2% would only do so if they thought the buyer wouldn’t lower their offer, according to Real Estate Witch. 

Some homesellers are so eager to be rid of their bewitched property that they’d risk breaking the law to do so. One in 16 respondents (6%) said they’d risk breaking the law in order not to disclose the haunted nature of their home. 

In keeping with the perception that the supernatural is a price deflator, Real Estate Witch says that 82% of potential buyers would enter an offer below market value for a home they believed was haunted. The value of the property is affected by the perception that it is haunted. That’s an increase from 62% one year ago, when the market was more seller friendly. 

Homebuyers in need of any excuse to get creative with their budget may see a haunted home as an opportunity to come in well below market value, with 43% of buyers saying they’d offer at least $50,000 below market value, while 18% would offer at least $100,000 below market value, according to Real Estate Witch.