In your search for a house, what if this Halloween you came across one thought to be haunted? Would you buy? Would you buy for a discount?
According to a 2024 survey, 54% of Americans who've never lived in a haunted house would consider buying one, but 46% wouldn't touch it under any circumstances.
On the other hand, what if it came with a discount?
According to a YouGov study, about 70 percent of potential homeowners would adopt a ghostly roommate for a big discount. That number rises to 82 percent if the house is going for below market value.
One Zillow analysis found that 29 percent of homebuyers are actually attracted to a haunted house. The same study found that 33 percent would never even consider such a purchase.
In real estate parlance, your basic haunted house is called a stigmatized property, any property with a spooky or notorious past.
Stigmatized properties challenge sellers, often lingering on the market longer and fetching lower offers. One actress bought a house where a famous murder took place. Although she lived in the house for 16 years with no problems, she had to sell it substantially under the asking price.
In a hot 2025 housing market, a haunted house may well provide rare affordability, especially for first-time buyers willing to overlook the eerie. But how many of these poltergeist-inhabited properties are there? No one actually keeps track.
