This story was originally published in Builder.
While its not much of a problem for new-home builders as their products normally have not been lived in, there apparently are haunted houses out there, and millennials are willing to buy them.
That's according to Realtor.com®, which today released its annual Haunted Real Estate Report. 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% 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%), followed by a tie between a larger kitchen and better neighborhood (9%). Millennials are the most price-sensitive of all demographics, with 17% persuadable by a lower price tag.
• Nothing else required: Surprisingly, 18% 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%, 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% of those over 55 insisting that they would never buy a haunted home as opposed to 41% 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% 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%) topped the list of most common spooky behaviors, followed by odd feelings in certain rooms (45%) and erratic pet behavior (34%).
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% |
When posed with the hypothetical question of selling a haunted house, people were polarized on revealing its spooky status to potential buyers.
1 Yes, tell them everything: The most popular approach is full transparency, with 34% of people saying they would tell interested buyers everything. Men and millennials are the most likely to divulge all the details to buyers.
2 Only when asked: In second place, 27% of people would choose the less risky route and divulge details only when asked.
3 Mum(my)'s the word: Saying absolutely nothing is the third most popular approach for hypothetical sellers, with 22% preferring to stay quiet. This is a strategy preferred by 25% of those over 35 years old.
4 No details please: The least popular selling strategy, at 17%, is to admit that the house was haunted but not provide details.
This story was originally published in Builder.
