Buying a Haunted House

 

Thanks to some late-night sleepless Googling, I learned that there is an entire real estate market of people selling and advertising homes being haunted.

 

I can barely believe it, but shockingly enough people are advertising homes as haunted not as a warning but as a selling point!

 

In a RealtorMag article from 2015, they talk about a listing from 2015 where the agent glanced over the home's new kitchen and large backyard and focused instead on its paranormal activity! Check out the listing description.

 

“this is a rare, spooktacular home with large areas, eat-in kitchen w/ newer flooring, countertops and appliances! New roof (2014), fresh paint, all new storm windows and water softener. Finished lower level and custom deck overlooking the large backyard w/privacy fence. Great location close to schools, parks, shopping and quick access to Dodge St. One last thing. For you lovers of the supernatural, this home has documented paranormal activity. P.R.I.S.M is the company recently investigating the activity. Please see the information below to include: video and audio links, as well as a summary of events that have occurred be warned, some of this documentation is stunning!”

 

Although I think my favorite story of Agents using the Paranormal in their business is an agent from LA (shocking). Sue Stanford the Ghost Realter guarantees her homes are 100% ghost and demon-free!

 

 

True or False; sellers must inform a buyer about their house being haunted?!

 

False! It seems that in most cases under Florida Law, a seller has no obligation to disclose that a house is haunted or even was the scene of a murder.

 

According to Florida Statute 689.25:

 

“(b) The fact that a property was, or was at any time suspected to have been, the site of a homicide, suicide, or death is not a material fact that must be disclosed in a real estate transaction.”

 

Maybe what I think is the ice maker making noise in the middle of the night is a ghost! Just kidding…. I hope…. Anyway, after the Ghosterbusters ruling of 1991 (Stambovsky V. Ackley) a house that has been publicly advertised as haunted cannot deny its “haunted,” status to sell the home. Luckily for Mr. Stambovksy Google didn’t exist yet in 1991 and he was able to plead ignorance as Ackley and the Real Estate Broker never informed the buyer of the THREE reported ghosts. One of which reportedly being a Revolutionary Navy Lieutenant. Another ghost was reported as waking the daughter awake every morning.

 

If you have some down time check out Stambovsky V. Ackley for yourself. It’s an incredibly interesting story.

 

Since legally a Seller or Real Estate Agent is not obligated to inform you if the house is haunted there is a website called deadinhome.com that will give you a report if anything happened in your home. It will even tell you if someone went Walter White on your house. Was your house a meth lab?!

 

 

This is just a suggestion but maybe google your future home’s address before you sign anything.

 

Happy Ghost Hunting. I mean House Hunting.