Mortgages
Is superstition why your house won’t sell?
Two thirds of Brits could be put off buying a particular home by a bad vibe, whether that was proximity to a crime scene or just an odd feeling about the owners.
According to a poll conducted by Ocean Finance 60 per cent of respondents said superstitious concerns were enough to turn them off to the possibility of buying a particular house, while 26 per cent said they felt a property’s ‘aura’ at their last viewing.
This could be positive or negative: More than half of those who had felt such an aura said it had led them to live in a property, while 20 per cent said the opposite.
Ian Williams, spokesman for Ocean Finance, says: “This survey shows it’s not just size, price and proximity to work, schools and transport links that influence buyers. Many people have been led by superstitions and feelings too.
“However, not wanting to live somewhere close to where a serious crime has been recorded might be sensible rather than superstitions. If they are worried, buyers can check the UK crime map to see what crimes have been reported in recent months near to the house they’re interested in buying.”
To see what might be spooking your potential buyers, see below.
Factors that put people off buying a home
| Factor | Percentage put off |
| Proximity to the scene of a serious crime | 30 per cent |
| A recent death on the property | 30 per cent |
| Proximity to a graveyard | 23 per cent |
| Disliking the owners | 16 per cent |
| A rude-sounding street or village name | 13 per cent |
| Negative personal associations with the address – such as the street sharing a name with an ex | 11 per cent |
| The property being number 13 | 8.9 per cent |
| A long or difficult to spell adddress | 6.9 per cent |
Source: Ocean Finance