What’s spookier, ghosts or mold? Owners and buyers weigh in
In the “spirit” of Halloween, a new survey finds that many people would settle for a haunted house over one with maintenance issues or political neighbors.
Ghosts may strike terror into the hearts of some, but apparently they're not the scariest homeownership issue.
A survey from Clever and Real Estate Witch found that a large number of Americans would rather deal with ghosts in their home than a host of other situations — including a neighbor with unfiltered political views, a sure sign that it's an election year.
Ghosts over politics: Of 1,000 consumers surveyed, 42% said they'd prefer a haunted house to a houseful of outspoken Republicans neighbors, while 36% would take their chances with ghouls rather than live next door to outspoken Democrats.
Crime is scarier: Most people would settle for ghosts over a property that had frequent break-ins (78% preferring a haunted house), and a smaller majority were willing to accept apparitions to avoid annoyances, including a house with frequent power outages (58% would put up with a ghost) and constant construction noise (56% would find a ghost less bothersome).
The dreaded inspection report: There were plenty of other issues that scared homebuyers more than poltergeists living rent-free in their place. Mold struck fear into the hearts of many, with 80% saying it was a scarier situation, followed by foundation issues (74%), termites (73%) and asbestos (73%). A lack of central air conditioning spooked 40% of those surveyed.
Plenty of believers: The report found that 74% of Americans surveyed believe a house can be haunted, while 37% say they've experienced unexplainable events in their own home.
Homeownership stress: While comparing living in a haunted house to some of the more common challenges of homeownership can elicit a chuckle or two, it does point to the many potential stressors of owning a property.
An earlier study from Clever found that younger generations are more likely to be stressed than older generations due to greater financial challenges, including higher mortgage payments and a higher likelihood of taking out loans to fix or remodel their homes. The study noted that 43% of millennials were surprised by the cost of maintaining their homes.
In the most recent survey, Clever found that 56% of respondents said unexpected costs were the most terrifying aspect of homeownership.