Basics of Property Management: Screening Potential Tenants

Two Weird Things Buyers May Look For In Your Home

23 September 2016

Jesse Obrien

Homebuyers often go to great lengths to find the house of their dreams and will sometimes turn their noses up at homes for nitpicky reasons, such as having an L-shaped kitchen layout or not enough south-facing windows. However, even these items may seem normal compared to some of the odd reasons people have chosen or bypassed houses. Here are two you may encounter in your quest to sell your home and how you should respond to them.

Divine Intervention

From astrology to tarot cards, beliefs that objects can predict the future or provide supernatural insight into everyday events have persisted in the human consciousness for millennia upon millennia. When it comes to real estate, one odd trend among homebuyers is to apply the tenets of numerology to predict whether the homes they're going to buy will bring them happiness or misfortune.

Numerology is the belief that numbers can have a profound impact on your life. For instance, practitioners believe that if you add the month, day, and year of your birth date together, you'll get a master number that will describe aspects of your personality. Likewise, house numerology involves adding up the numbers and letters of a house's address to get a master number that will predict the type of "energy" the home will have and its impact on the people who live in it.

Despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of numerology, people believe in its teachings. If you want to appeal to these types of buyers, then finding out what you home's master number is and mentioning it in conversation may make your house more appealing to them.

People who put their faith in house numerology may also believe in other New Age doctrines, such as Feng Shui and astrology. So if people are repelled by your home's master number, you could point to other mystical aspects of the house that may make it attractive in other ways.

Friendly Ghosts

Maybe it's the proliferation of ghost hunting reality shows on television, but an interesting niche market that has been gaining traction in the real estate industry is people buying houses that are allegedly haunted. It could be that these homebuyers are thrill seekers looking to rub shoulders with the undead or simply people who want something that sets their home apart from friends and family members who may also own homes. Whatever the reason, you may come across a buyer looking for a house with paranormal roommates.

Typically, reported haunted homes are hard to sell, so appealing to this type of buyer can help and hurt you. Telling prospective buyers about the odd experiences you've had in the home may repel those who prefer to live in normal homes. It's probably best to keep weird occurrences to yourself unless you're specifically asked about your paranormal experiences and then choose your words carefully.

You'll run into these and many other odd requests from buyers when selling your home. It's probably a good idea to consult with a real estate agent to determine the best way to respond to ensure you get the highest bid on your home. Contact a company like AllStars Realty for more tips.

Share