All of us have grown up listening to stories of haunted houses or watching horror movies while shivering under the blanket. Most of us have probably identified the decrepit old home down the street as being haunted as well. All of that is a normal part of growing up. What’s not normal though, is planning to spend a considerable part of your future in a home that’s probably haunted.

If you’re uncertain whether the property you’ve fallen in love with is teaming with all kinds of spooky, then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll tell you how to determine whether the house you’re planning on buying is haunted or not.

In real estate terminology, a stigma refers to the supernatural or intangible characteristic of a property that brings about emotional or psychological response(s) from the potential buyer. It’s also defined as a home where murder, suicide, famous adulteries, cult activity, crimes, misfortunes or paranormal activity has taken place in the past. Such instances can negatively impact a property’s value.

Depending on the law on the land, listing agents may not be obliged to disclose possible stigmas to buyers. The situation was worse in the past when the seller was not required to disclose information regarding the property they were selling. Fortunately, changes have been made to the law over the years that now require sellers to disclose certain information.

Generally speaking, housing laws dictate that realtors, sellers, and buyers must exercise honesty and fairness in all real estate transactions. However, laws that state homeowners must disclose stigmas before selling houses vary from state to state. Certain states have laws that relieve the broker or salesperson from disclosing any information related to property stigmas.

If you’re uncertain regarding your state laws, the best way is to directly ask the seller or your agent whether the house is haunted, in which case, they are obliged to answer truthfully.

Since it’s highly improbable that the house you’re about to purchase has a “Beware, haunted!” sign outside, it’s up to you to carry out some investigative research, some of which involve:

· Ask about previous crimes or paranormal activity at the house

· Go through the local police logs

· Ask the neighbors

· Carefully review the disclosure

These are a few steps you can take to ensure your future property doesn’t have a shady past. Otherwise, Top Team Homes are local real estate agents Camp Hill that have years of realtor experience. Dealing with them will help you land the best deal and ensure that the property is stigma-free. Contact us today for more information.