Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts: Americans Willing to Live in 'Haunted' Houses For Discount, Survey Shows
03:04 GMT 28.10.2021 (Updated: 03:05 GMT 28.10.2021)
© AP Photo / Matt RourkeIn this Sept. 27, 2013, file photo, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is shown.
![In this Sept. 27, 2013, file photo, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is shown. In this Sept. 27, 2013, file photo, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is shown. - Sputnik International, 1920, 28.10.2021](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0a/1c/1090266977_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_a0a93d29d819727b62dc37257ebc3e2a.jpg)
© AP Photo / Matt Rourke
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Realtors regularly make popular lists of houses that evoke the "Poltergeist" movie franchise. These houses sure look intimidating, and past residents might have spoken of strange or unpleasant things going on, as in some of these properties, for example, murders have taken place.
Americans are willing to have roommates these days in order to purchase their dream homes, and they're not particularly picky about who they live with, as a good number are fine with the idea of cohabitating with ghosts, a new survey done by the Realtor.com website has revealed.
People do not seem to mind living with ghosts if it means they will be able to buy their ideal home. According to the survey's data, 30% of Americans would live with the paranormal if it led to a cheap property of their choice.
“In today’s ultra-competitive housing market, buyers are looking for a break,” Deputy News Editor of Realtor.com, Clare Trapasso, said. “The majority are willing to consider homes that are rumored to be haunted, especially if they can get these properties at a discount. Nearly half of those surveyed would live in a haunted house if they can get a good discount, which to many buyers is more than half off of the market price.”
Furthermore, according to the website's annual Halloween poll, 20% of Americans would not mind living in a house where a murder occurred. Only 17% of people would live in a haunted house, but that number rises to 46% if the house is available at a big discount.
According to statistics, a total of 63% would be willing to live in a haunted house for a reduced price, with the majority seeking a discount of more than 20% off the market price.
Also, to buy a home where someone was murdered, three-quarters (75%) think they would need a discount, with the majority (69%) requesting more than 10% off the market price. Some people want even more money off: a quarter of people (24%) say they would demand a discount of more than 50% to buy a home where someone was killed.
People will even endure terrifying neighbors, according to further research, with 30% claiming they would live next to a graveyard and 25% saying they would live next to a haunted house.
And interestingly enough, almost a third of Americans say they have lived in a haunted house at some point in their lives.
© AP Photo / Beth J. HarpazThis Oct. 5, 2017 photo shows a figure depicting Seabury Tredwell on his deathbed at the Merchant's House Museum in New York.
![This Oct. 5, 2017 photo shows a figure depicting Seabury Tredwell on his deathbed at the Merchant's House Museum in New York. This Oct. 5, 2017 photo shows a figure depicting Seabury Tredwell on his deathbed at the Merchant's House Museum in New York. - Sputnik International, 1920, 28.10.2021](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0a/1c/1090266947_0:0:2730:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_6f0e8aa86550f01f86d054b2e28fe849.jpg)
This Oct. 5, 2017 photo shows a figure depicting Seabury Tredwell on his deathbed at the Merchant's House Museum in New York.
© AP Photo / Beth J. Harpaz
"Homebuyers who are concerned about a home's past should be sure to ask questions and do some research before they buy a new house," Trapasso concluded. "Only a few states require sellers to inform house hunters if someone died on the property. Some people who find themselves living in a home they believe to be haunted turn to specialists -- like paranormal investigators, spiritual healers, and even church-sanctioned religious leaders."
However, this summer, Charles Manson's LaBianca murder house was reportedly sold for $1.875 million at a discount. It was previously owned by Zak Bagans, a paranormal investigator and actor, who paid $1.89 million for the house in 2019. A year later, he tried to sell it for the first time for $2.2 million but with no success, so he had to greatly reduce the price.