Living near a haunted location could add thousands of pounds more to a property’s asking price, a new study has revealed.
The research, from Hammonds Furniture, examined average house prices of postcodes located close to ghostly locations such as castles, ghost trails, and areas with reported paranormal activity across the country.
The study compared these findings with regional and national property prices from Rightmove’s October Index and surprisingly, sharing a postcode with a haunted area shouldn’t be a deal breaker for house-hunting Britons.
The average price of a home close to a paranormal site is valued at a staggering £442,000 – a hefty £74,000 above the UK average home asking price (£368,000).
Melissa Denham, interior stylist at Hammonds said: “As we head towards spooky season and Halloween, it’s fascinating to learn how many of us may have lived in a haunted home.
“Whilst it’s interesting to see that living close to some of the country’s most haunted locations actually may not be a bad thing for your property’s value, we were happy to learn that believers and ghost-hunters could still find a good deal living near to certain spooky sites.”
But living near certain ghostly locations can add more value to homes than others. According to the study, homes near the mysterious Hangman’s Hill in Epping Forest in Essex are priced at over £200,000 more than the average Essex home (£439,000) at a hefty £651,000.
Ms Denham said: “Legend has it, drivers who head to the location can put their car in neutral and experience an anti-gravity phenomenon as their car rolls uphill!”
Farleigh Hungerford Castle in Somerset is also an area where house prices run higher than the regional average. Those looking to live near the reputedly haunted castle can expect to pay £561,000 for the average home in the same postcode, £194,000 more than the average Somerset home (£367,000).
Top haunted locations that can add value to your property
- Ham House, Richmond: Local house price using the closest postcode hits £1,521,000 – 118 percent higher than the regional average.
- Treasurer’s House, York: Local house price using the closest postcode hits £419,000 – 82 percent higher than the regional average.
- The York Dungeon, York: Local house price using the closest postcode hits £419,000 – 82 percent higher than the regional average.
- Berry Pomeroy Castle, South Devon: Local house price using the closest postcode hits £529,000 – 57 percent higher than the regional average.
- Farleigh Hungerford Castle, Somerset: Local house price using the closest postcode hits £561,000 – 53 percent higher than the regional average.
Fortunately for keen ghost hunters seeking a good deal, there are areas where living near a haunted location is more affordable than the regional average house price.
With ghost stories dating back to the 17th century, homes near Aston Hall in Birmingham currently sit at £155,000, nearly half of the West Midlands average (£282,000).
Said to have “intense ghostly activity”, homes in the same postcode as Conisbrough Castle in Doncaster are currently at £138,000, 36 percent below the South Yorkshire average (£215,000).
Hammonds also surveyed 2,000 UK adults last year to find out how open-minded Britons are when it comes to the paranormal.
The poll revealed that four in ten (43 percent) believe in ghosts, while one in six (17 percent) claim to have seen a ghost for themselves. Less than a third said that they definitely do not believe in ghosts, while just over a quarter remain unsure (27 percent).
Notably, a quarter (25 percent) believe that they currently or used to live in a haunted house. Among the reasons for these beliefs, more than a third (38 percent) pointed to unexplained noises as the most common factor.
