Americans love the cheap thrill of gut-wrenching fear. Every year, hordes of Halloween enthusiasts lock arms and flock to their local house of horrors. These zombie-obsessed adrenaline junkies happily pay for a good scare, fueling a $300 million haunted attractions industry. But what if you live in one??
Here’s how to sell a Haunted House:
Work with a low-drama real estate agent who isn’t in it for the press - There’s no getting around it a house with a history of hauntings or deadly foul play generates attention, whether it’s a full-blown three-ring circus or quiet whispers from surrounding neighbors
Check your state’s disclosure requirements, and consult an attorney on any gray areas - Real estate disclosure laws, which set rules for what you have to tell buyers about a home before they follow through on the deal, are a mixed bag from state to state. But most states, in some shape or form, require sellers and their agents to disclose any “material defects” about a home upfront in writing.
Disclosure requirements differ state by state - The majority of states do not require sellers or their agents to disclose occurrences like homicides, felonies, suicides, or natural deaths that occurred on a property or any rumored paranormal activity associated with it.
See where your state lands on psychological impact/stigmatized property disclosure laws by using the map below - Does a property’s history as the site of a violent crime constitute a material fact? You could argue it one way or another. It’s a gray area open to interpretation, especially when it comes to deaths and rumored hauntings.
Your agent should be familiar with your state’s disclosure requirements and statutes.
How to sell a haunted house without fear
Find an agent with experience selling stigmatized homes (like any of us here at Radiant Home Group!!)
Target your marketing at serious buyers
Disclose what’s required at the right time and deliver the message through the proper chain of command
Hold firm on price if you can
While the public tells ghost stories about your house around the campfire by flashlight, the best agents for the job will be head down and knee deep in elbow grease. A home’s history aside, the place needs to be market ready and promoted with a well-executed marketing plan!! We can help with that!!