SANTA CLARA, Calif.,
Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Realtor.com®, the Home of Home Search℠, today released
its annual Haunted Real Estate Report — and the 2018 findings are
spookier than one might expect. The new report found that one in
three people - especially millennials - were willing to take a
chance on a haunted home if there was something to sweeten the
deal, while 18 percent of people say that the haunted nature of the
home wouldn't affect their purchase decision at all.
"In a competitive market, it's harder for prospective buyers to
be extremely selective," said Danielle
Hale, chief economist for realtor.com®. "If a
house is commensurately priced, or has desirable features, the fact
that it may be haunted seems to matter less. This report shows
that, for those looking for a good deal, a lower price, better
neighborhood, or larger kitchen can balance out a few spooky
happenings."
The survey of 1,067 people across the
United States was conducted earlier this month by Harris
Interactive through online interviews.
When asked to decide between purchasing a haunted or non-haunted
home, respondents fell into the following three categories:
- I'll buy, but I need a something more: A third of the
respondents were willing to take a chance on a haunted home if
presented with additional features. Topping the wish list was a
cheaper home price (15 percent), followed by a tie between a larger
kitchen and better neighborhood (9 percent). Millennials are the
most price-sensitive of all demographics, with 17 percent
persuadable by a lower price tag.
- Nothing else required: Surprisingly, 18 percent of
people wouldn't require any additional features to choose a haunted
home over a non-haunted home. Nearly a quarter of those aged 35-54
said they wouldn't be affected by the haunted nature of the home
while making a purchase decision.
- Would not buy, not for anything: For the remaining 49
percent, there's no price low enough or kitchen large enough to
make them purchase a haunted home. The older generation of home
buyers is the most reluctant to move into a haunted house, with 61
percent of those over 55 insisting that they would never buy a
haunted home as opposed to 41 percent of millennials and Gen
X'ers.
Living in a haunted home is more common than one would imagine,
and not necessarily a surprise to the occupants. Nearly two in five
people believe they have lived in a haunted (or possibly haunted)
house, and 44 percent of them either suspected or were fully aware
of said haunting before moving in. In fact, the majority of people
under 55 years old suspected — or were sure — their home was
haunted before they moved in, a decision possibly incentivized by a
lower home price or better neighborhood. Hearing strange noises (54
percent) topped the list of most common spooky behaviors, followed
by odd feelings in certain rooms (45 percent) and erratic pet
behavior (34 percent).
Did You Know the Home Was Haunted Prior to Moving In?
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
18-34s
|
35-54
|
55+
|
Yes
|
34%
|
48%
|
16%
|
38%
|
42%
|
11%
|
Maybe
|
10%
|
10%
|
11%
|
13%
|
9%
|
5%
|
No
|
56%
|
42%
|
73%
|
49%
|
49%
|
84%
|
A Seller's Haunted Dilemma: To reveal, or not to
reveal?
When posed with the hypothetical question of
selling a haunted house, people were polarized on revealing its
spooky status to potential buyers.
- Yes, tell them everything: The most popular approach is
full transparency, with 34 percent of people saying they would tell
interested buyers everything. Men and millennials are the most
likely to divulge all the details to buyers.
- Only when asked: In second place, 27 percent of people
would choose the less risky route and divulge details only when
asked.
- Mum(my)'s the word: Saying absolutely nothing is the
third most popular approach for hypothetical sellers, with 22
percent preferring to stay quiet. This is a strategy preferred by
25 percent of those over 35 years old.
- No details please: The least popular selling strategy,
at 17 percent, is to admit that the house was haunted but not
provide details.
About realtor.com®
Realtor.com®, The Home of Home Search℠, offers an
extensive inventory of for-sale and rental listings, and access to
information, tools and professional expertise that help people move
confidently through every step of their home journey. It pioneered
the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today is the
trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers by making
all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable.
Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS,
NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual
license from the National Association of REALTORS®. For
more information, visit realtor.com®.
Media Contact:
Realtor.com®
Tammy Lee
tammy.lee@realtor.com
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SOURCE realtor.com