With Halloween right around the corner, answer this:
Would you move into a haunted house?
According to a 2017 survey by Realtor.com, quite a few people would!
Out of 1,000 online respondents, 58% would consider it, and the rest said HELL NO!
Maybe you’re someone who can sense the paranormal. Or, you think all this stuff is just a bunch of hoo-hah. Can a house actually be haunted – whether or not you’re a believer?
Angels (Pros) and Demons (Cons) of Purchasing a Haunted House
“You mean there are good reasons for purchasing a ‘haunted house?'”, you may be wondering. Sure, we can think of scary examples of why to stay away from a home that may carry bad juju. But, myths can sometimes mean price reductions – you might get a great buy on a home you never thought would be in your price range. Or, you could go with the flow and play up your haunted house around Halloween time and turn a profit with ghost tours!
Imagine being on the purchasing end of a lovely reduced price home in Suburban Long Island. Then, a mere 28 days after moving in, “fleeing in terror” because of happenings inside. That’s exactly what happened to George and Kathy Lutz and their 3 children in 1975, when, even after hearing what happened a mere year earlier on a horrific November night, they decided to buy anyway. The stories they told have lived on as the basis for The Amityville Horror book and movie series.
Which Witch is Which?
There’s a misconception that the home’s sellers must tell you if the house might be haunted. But in fact, the concept of “buyer beware,” is alive and well in the world of paranormal real estate. Real Estate Disclosure laws vary. In fact, only about half of the states have laws dealing with stigmas and most of those limit what the sellers must disclose. In Massachusetts, the law states flat out that the sellers don’t have to tell you about hauntings or paranormal activity. Hello Salem!
However, in California, the law states that you must disclose to the buyer any deaths that occurred on the property, but only in the last 3 years. (Would you pay more for the home that Marilyn Monroe died in…or head for the Hollywood Hills?)
Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave….
Take the 1991 NY case of Stambovsky vs. Ackley. Helen Ackley lived in a old victorian home so haunted she gave interviews with the local newspapers and even listed it on a local ghost tour. However, when it came time to sell, she inadvertently forgot to mention her unearthly visitors. Alas, there was a lawsuit when the new owners heard about the hauntings thru the grapevine – well after they put down a hefty deposit. The would-be buyers won the case and were able to rescind the offer.
Zoinks!
If you think the dream home you’re about to buy may be haunted, what can you do? As Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Ghostbusters crew or Scooby Doo and the Gang may not be available, here are some alternative choices:
Option 1. Feng Shui is a practice maximizes the energy flow from physical spaces to bring them into harmony. Invite a spiritualist or Feng Shui consultant to preview the home with you. Get their feedback and advice.
Option 2. Go for it! Buy your perfect home and try out some initial space-clearing techniques both before and after you move in. Start with simple cleaning: remove cobwebs inside and out. Wash windows and thoroughly cleaning all rooms – including attics and basements. The roof of your home is said to connect to the Heavens and should also be free of mold, tree limbs and dead leaves in the gutters. The floor of your home connects to earth and should also be free of clutter, dirt and debris. Go a step further and try smudging to clear out any unsettled energy. Invite your pastor over to give it a blessing. It certainly won’t hurt!
Option 3. Walk away. If you are someone strongly affected by “negative energy”, realize that your perfect home is still out there. Let this one (and its’ demons) go.
Give Up The Ghost
Choose not to bring along your own negative energy!
Moving is an opportune time to get rid of clutter. Decluttering before you move will help with your own, personal, energy-cleanse.
Keep the things that will bring peace, joy and light to your new home.