Phantom house buyers spooked by ghostly residents

More than half of British house buyers would be put off a property if they found out it was haunted, but it might make them more likely to view it in the first place, according to new research from Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks.

The Banks' research found that 57% of people would be put off a house by the prospect of sharing it with a ghostly tenant.  And half of those that took part in the Hallowe'en survey (51%) admitted they would actually back out of a purchase if they discovered that the house came complete with an ethereal lodger during the process.

However, having a ghostly presence might actually increase the number of viewers a property gets.  Almost half of those surveyed (46%) confessed to having a sense of curiosity which would make them likely to view a property if they heard it was haunted.

In fact, one in every two people questioned (51%) admitted to being tempted to use the presence of a ghost as a bargaining tool to reduce the asking price. The results show that men (56%) would be more likely to try and haggle than women (47%).

Homeowners were also wary of spectres and apparitions; with two fifths (40%) saying they would actually sell their home because of supernatural occurrences there.

The Banks also found that the nation's women would be less content sharing their home with a ghoul compared to men. Over half of the women surveyed (47%) would not be happy to stay put if they heard bumps in the night, while only a third of men (31%) would be bothered.

The survey also revealed that more than one in ten UK homeowners (13%) actually believes their house is haunted.  

It wasn't solely ghosts that might put off potential buyers.  Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks' research found 44% of house hunters would be put off if they saw crowds of children trick-or -treating nearby during Hallowe'en.  A further 12% of those surveyed admitted to being so superstitious that they'd be put off buying a home if a black cat crossed their path whilst viewing the property. 

Steve Reid, Retail Director for Clydesdale Bank, said: "It appears that the idea of a house being haunted is a double-edged sword - it may attract more viewers but they are less likely to buy it or may try to push the price down.

"In reality, 99% of noises and seemingly strange occurrences have perfectly reasonable explanations - like loose floorboards, birds nesting in the loft or a dodgy boiler.  The best thing any homebuyer can do is get a good survey and read it thoroughly, rather than worry about ghosts and goblins."