So you find the perfect house.
Great kitchen. Great neighborhood. Great price.
One tiny issue...
The seller says it’s haunted.
Do they actually have to tell you that before you buy it?
The answer is:
It depends on what state you’re buying in.
Welcome to the very weird world of stigmatized properties.
A house can carry a stigma because of a death, a notorious crime, or even claims of paranormal activity.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Unlike a bad roof, foundation issue, or another physical defect, the laws surrounding psychological stigmas are not the same across the country.
One state may require certain information to be disclosed.
Another may say the seller doesn’t have to disclose it at all.
And in some situations, you may have to specifically ASK.
There’s even a famous New York court case involving a supposedly haunted house.
The seller had publicly talked about ghosts in her home for years. Then she sold it without telling the buyer.
The court basically said:
Ma’am... you cannot make your house famous for being haunted and suddenly get quiet when somebody shows up with a contract.
The buyer was allowed to pursue getting out of the deal.
But that case does not mean every seller in America has to disclose a haunting.
That’s the important part.
Real estate disclosure laws vary from state to state.
So if something about a property’s history would affect whether you buy it, don’t assume somebody is legally required to volunteer that information.
Ask about deaths.
Ask about notorious events.
Ask about anything in the property’s history that matters to you
And have your agent check the disclosure laws where you’re actually buying.
Because apparently, even ghosts have different disclosure requirements depending on their ZIP code.
Now tell me:
Beautiful house. Great price. Previous owner swears there are ghosts upstairs.
Are you negotiating a discount...
or are you leaving so fast the ghost has to catch YOU?
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