Phantom house buyers spooked by ghostly residents

The Banks' research found that 57 per cent 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 per cent) 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 per cent) 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 per cent) 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 per cent) would be more likely to try and haggle than women (47 per cent).
Homeowners were also wary of spectres and apparitions; with two fifths (40 per cent) 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 per cent) would not be happy to stay put if they heard bumps in the night, while only a third of men (31 per cent) would be bothered.
The survey also revealed that more than one in ten UK homeowners (13 per cent) actually believes their house is haunted.
It wasn't solely ghosts that might put off potential buyers. Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks' research found 44 per cent of house hunters would be put off if they saw crowds of children trick-or -treating nearby during Hallowe'en. A further 12 per cent 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 per cent 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."