Nearly Half of Americans Would Opt for Ghosts Over Outspoken Political Neighbors

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Oct 15, 2024, 08:41 ET

This Halloween, Americans are more spooked by homeownership costs and political tensions than by ghosts, with only 5% finding the supernatural the scariest part of owning a home.

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Halloween and the election loom, 42% of Americans would rather live in a real-life haunted house than next door to outspoken conservative Republicans, while 36% feel the same about living next to outspoken progressive Democrats, according to new research from Real Estate Witch, an online publication owned by Clever Real Estate that connects readers with expert real estate advice.

Would you rather live in a haunted house or the following properties?

Even more, 58% would rather live with ghosts than in a home with frequent power outages, 56% would prefer spirits over constant construction noise, 48% would prefer ghosts over a home with poor cell reception, and 43% would take a haunting over a long commute.

It's not that Americans don't believe in ghosts — 74% believe a house can be haunted, and 37% say they've experienced unexplainable events in their home.

About 1 in 7 Americans (14%) even believe they've lived in a truly haunted house, with 89% saying they had no idea it was haunted when they moved in.

It's no surprise that 68% of home sellers wouldn't voluntarily disclose a haunting, while 67% of Americans believe haunted homes should be discounted.

Although 73% of homeowners who have lived with ghosts wouldn't recommend it, 54% of Americans who have never lived in a haunted house would consider buying one.

Just 22% say rumors that a house was haunted would be a dealbreaker when buying, compared to 67% who say the same about living near a nuclear waste facility.

Although 65% of Americans would feel uncomfortable living with ghosts, 72% could be swayed for a lower price — though 82% would only offer below market value.

Beyond ghosts, 87% of respondents expressed fears about homeownership, with the biggest concerns being unexpected costs (56%) and high interest rates (44%).

A striking 95% of Americans are more afraid of home repair problems such as mold (80%), foundation issues (74%), and termites (73%) than living with a poltergeist.

Read the full report at: https://www.realestatewitch.com/haunted-house-real-estate

About Real Estate Witch
Real Estate Witch is a web property of Clever Real Estate, an online platform that connects home buyers and sellers with top-rated agents at a discounted rate.

Clever Real Estate is a technology company that produces educational real estate content reaching over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 3,000+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $11.4 billion in real estate sold, matched 138,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $170 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 15,000 agents across all 50 states.

Please contact Jaime Seale at [email protected] with any questions or to arrange an interview.

CONTACT:
Jaime Seale
Clever Real Estate
[email protected]
417-439-264

SOURCE Real Estate Witch