Halloween is the season when haunted houses are in high demand, but any paranormal activity in your home could make the value of the property plummet, according to experts.
Research by property purchasing specialist House Buyer Bureau revealed sellers plagued by spooky encounters could be forced to reduce the asking price of their home by hundreds of thousands of pounds if they wish to sell it in the current market.
The reduction could be as much as 17%, an average of £50,000 by the current UK average.
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In Merseyside the average house price is £196,695 and this could take a hit of more than £33,000.
In Liverpool, where houses go for a little shy of £181,000, prices could be knocked down by upwards of £30,543. Knowsley , Sefton , St Helens and the Wirral , where homes go for an average of between £185,720 and £214,017, could see sale prices plummet by more than £30,000.
Chris Hodgkinson, managing director of House Buyer Bureau, said: "Whether you believe in ghosts and ghouls or not, there are a wealth of homes across the UK that are believed to be haunted. Some are thought to be home to some rather terrifying individuals, while others have been the site of historical significance which is said to be the reason behind their paranormal activity today.
"But while these haunted homes may hold appeal to a small segment of the market, they’re unlikely to appeal to the average buyer and so it may not be the best advertising tool when it comes to standing out from the crowd."
Chris added that the "mere suggestion" of ghostly goings on could knock thousands of pounds of your home's worth.
He added: "You may find that the quick sale route is your best option when offloading a haunted house, without taking too much of a hit with respect to the price achieved."
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