Haunted House for Sale

[RenaissanceLady]

It started off as a humorous look at a potentially haunted house, which was soon determined to be an actual listing on Zillow, for a house which the owner claims to be haunted:

Built in 1901, this Victorian home in the Hollywood section of Dunmore features 1850 sf of living space with an additional 1350 sf of partially finished space. Original hardwood floors throughout entire home. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Off-street parking. Freshly painted. New moulding throughout entire first floor. Slightly haunted. Nothing serious, though. e.g. The sounds of phantom footsteps. A strange knocking sound followed by a very quiet (hardly noticeable, even) scream at 3:13am, maybe once a week. Twice a week, tops. And the occasional ghastly visage lurking behind you in the bathroom mirror. Even still, this occurs very rarely and only in the second floor bathroom.

This has even spread to other sites, giving it further publicity and further notoriety.

This, of course, leads me to wonder how many of us would choose to live in a haunted house? We should also consider, while the house is definitely for sale, we have no way of knowing for certain if this house truly has the reputation that the seller is stating. While houses that have certain reputations, especially those that are known to have had violent histories, often don't sell as well others in the market, claiming that this house is haunted has certainly exposed an otherwise ordinary Victorian home in a smaller town to a much wider audience. This all could just be a clever marketing ploy. We should also wonder if this house had a reputation prior to this owner, or if it did, if the owner deliberately bought a haunted house. Sometimes, we hear of owners who never knew the house was haunted until they began to renovate it. As this house was recently renovated, this should be something else we consider.

When I think of my own experience in Nambé, I often wonder if I would have moved to that casita if I had known its reputation. The truth is, I probably wouldn't have believed the stories prior to my living there. In any case, I was never told of its history and didn't learn of it until I was asking around, trying to find evidence that what was happening to me was real. To this day, I know I'll never again live in Nambé. I doubt I'd even visit it after dark. Sometimes, it seems as though an entire area can be subjected to whatever horrors it once experienced. Nambé certainly had its share of tragedy.

So, I would love to hear your thoughts. What are your impressions about this house that is for sale in Pennsylvania? Haunted or marketing ploy? Would you live there or pass? What are your feelings about haunted houses and areas, in general?

 

[Tyger]

It started off as a humorous look at a potentially haunted house, which was soon determined to be an actual listing on Zillow, for a house which the owner claims to be haunted:

This has even spread to other sites, giving it further publicity and further notoriety.

This, of course, leads me to wonder how many of us would choose to live in a haunted house? We should also consider, while the house is definitely for sale, we have no way of knowing for certain if this house truly has the reputation that the seller is stating. While houses that have certain reputations, especially those that are known to have had violent histories, often don't sell as well others in the market, claiming that this house is haunted has certainly exposed an otherwise ordinary Victorian home in a smaller town to a much wider audience. This all could just be a clever marketing ploy. We should also wonder if this house had a reputation prior to this owner, or if it did, if the owner deliberately bought a haunted house. Sometimes, we hear of owners who never knew the house was haunted until they began to renovate it. As this house was recently renovated, this should be something else we consider.

"Sometimes, we hear of owners who never knew the house was haunted until they began to renovate it. As this house was recently renovated, this should be something else we consider."

A good point.

As I stated on the other thread (I won't repeat the gruesome story) only to say that I once heard it said that wood/cloth - anything 'soft' - absorbs and retains astral impressions. I have no idea if that's the case, of course. That said, though, even if it's been renovated, if they just painted over - and placed over - what was already there, and didn't actually strip - 'the stuff' would still be there.

It was pointed out that it was 'freshly painted' - my gyro goes all haywire when I hear that - not good imo - and more so in this instance given that it is being claimed that it is haunted. My antennae are quivering. I would want to see all the sheetrock removed - everything pulled out right down to the studs. I'd want to see what's in between those walls and beneath the floor boards.

I've moved a lot and 'living into' a different space takes time - 6 months is the usual time it takes I have found to 'shift' a place to me. Usually one chooses what already feels comfortable - but a few times I've had to take what I could get - and the 'feel' was not always genial.

So, I would love to hear your thoughts. What are your impressions about this house that is for sale in Pennsylvania? Haunted or marketing ploy? Would you live there or pass? What are your feelings about haunted houses and areas, in general?

I think you've hit on something - it may very well be a marketing ploy. At $144,000 in a bad market - how long has it been up for sale? And you say the ad is now getting wide distribution - so there will be someone out there who will pony up with what is a fairly modest sum just for the 'fun' of exploring the haunting.

 

[Double Nought Spy]

I'd have to meet the haint, then decide. They have a reputation for being rude, inconsiderate, and uncouth. I generally prefer having my own place, and having it be a quiet place too, but if a "roommate" wasn't a creep and saved me some serious dough, then maybe it would be okay.

I do like cheese very much!

 

[RenaissanceLady]

"Sometimes, we hear of owners who never knew the house was haunted until they began to renovate it. As this house was recently renovated, this should be something else we consider."

A good point.

As I stated on the other thread (I won't repeat the gruesome story) only to say that I once heard it said that wood/cloth - anything 'soft' - absorbs and retains astral impressions. I have no idea if that's the case, of course. That said, though, even if it's been renovated, if they just painted over - and placed over - what was already there, and didn't actually strip - 'the stuff' would still be there.

It was pointed out that it was 'freshly painted' - my gyro goes all haywire when I hear that - not good imo - and more so in this instance given that it is being claimed that it is haunted. My antennae are quivering. I would want to see all the sheetrock removed - everything pulled out right down to the studs. I'd want to see what's in between those walls and beneath the floor boards.

I've moved a lot and 'living into' a different space takes time - 6 months is the usual time it takes I have found to 'shift' a place to me. Usually one chooses what already feels comfortable - but a few times I've had to take what I could get - and the 'feel' was not always genial.

I think you've hit on something - it may very well be a marketing ploy. At $144,000 in a bad market - how long has it been up for sale? And you say the ad is now getting wide distribution - so there will be someone out there who will pony up with what is a fairly modest sum just for the 'fun' of exploring the haunting.

According to Zillow, it was last sold in June, 2005, for $97,000. The current "Zestimate" is $114,005, though this may also reflect the overall quality of the other homes in the neighborhood. It looks as though it was initially listed for sale this past June, and removed from the market the following August. The sale price of $144,000 is $13,000 lower than the initial asking price. What I don't know, is whether or not it was listed as a haunted house during its initial listing in June. I also have no idea how often the listing may have been edited.

The current listing price could be due to any gentrification of the area, as well as the aforementioned renovations. I also know from experience that the "Zestimate" can be entirely off from the actual value of the property. (You and I have both looked at this on the maps, and it appears that many of the other homes in the area need renovating. This will affect "Zestimates.") I still wish I could see any earlier listings for this property, to understand what this seller - or other sellers - may or may not have disclosed. I would also like to read the actual appraisals. If the appraisals are closer to the "Zestimate", then I'd say it's a safe bet that this seller is trying to demand a higher price due to its allegedly being haunted. These additional bits of information would speak volumes.

I don't know much about the area, except for what I've been able to Google. Neighboring Scranton has apparently fallen on hard times, almost declaring bankruptcy in 2012. Dunmore appears to be a nicer middle-class area, with poverty levels 5% lower than Scranton. Supposedly some of the more affluent areas extend into Dunmore. This all begs to ask if the seller is trying to capitalize on this, or if he even needs to try. If you do a Zillow on Dunmore, PA, you'll find that this is among the more expensive homes. Other comparable Victorians, which have also been recently (and even more thoroughly) renovated, are going for about the same price to significantly less. Of course, there can be huge changes in price just due to the individual street. I still wonder if there's any price padding going on, entirely from it having a reputation it may or may not deserve. There's also no shortage of foreclosures in the area, and Victorians which need renovating are selling in the $30s. I suppose, in such a market, anything to make a property stand out from the crowd would help. Then again, I suppose something may be going on with this house. The previous owners were at this house for 7 years, but even then, we don't know if they stayed there, rented the place, or did any upgrades. If the house had a reputation prior to this, there's no way for us to know. If it didn't, it could either indicate a marketing ploy, or that the current seller stirred up some old energy.

Wish someone would buy it and invite us over for tea. I'd love to get a feel for the place.

 

[RenaissanceLady]

I'd have to meet the haint, then decide. They have a reputation for being rude, inconsiderate, and uncouth. I generally prefer having my own place, and having it be a quiet place too, but if a "roommate" wasn't a creep and saved me some serious dough, then maybe it would be okay.

I can say from my time in Nambé, New Mexico, that I never felt alone in that house. I was routinely on edge, never knowing when the next shoe would drop, and often in state of profound fear. NO ONE has stayed in that casita for any length of time. The sad thing is, when there wasn't any activity, it was a beautiful and peaceful place. What's hard is never knowing when something else will happen. I definitely need to have my own place and live on my own terms, so I completely understand what you're saying.

I do like cheese very much!

Me too, my friend, me too. It actually pains me that I don't have any good, "real" cheese in the house right now. Tea and cheese, or wine and cheese, needs to be on the menu.

 

[Double Nought Spy]

 

[Tyger]

"with the problem only getting worse. Cheesh! In the end, the sheetrock was torn down "

Okay, so you probably spell it Sheesh! I am feeling picked on.

 

[Tyger]

Me too, my friend, me too. It actually pains me that I don't have any good, "real" cheese in the house right now. Tea and cheese, or wine and cheese, needs to be on the menu.

Okay, now this is getting better and better - first just tea and crumpets, now wine and cheese. Yum!

 

[Tyger]

Great analysis, Renn.

Given the context, the owner paying 97,000 in 2005 was high for now, to be expected. The prices are amazing - $150,000 in LA wouldn't get me a downpayment.

I think the owner/agent (whichever) has added a bit of spice to the pot to get more traffic on the 29th. We might hear about this as an internet-generated news story - in which case the whole of the 'what's what' will out. We'll see. Others are asking the same questions we are.

According to Zillow, it was last sold in June, 2005, for $97,000. The current "Zestimate" is $114,005, though this may also reflect the overall quality of the other homes in the neighborhood. It looks as though it was initially listed for sale this past June, and removed from the market the following August. The sale price of $144,000 is $13,000 lower than the initial asking price. What I don't know, is whether or not it was listed as a haunted house during its initial listing in June. I also have no idea how often the listing may have been edited.

The current listing price could be due to any gentrification of the area, as well as the aforementioned renovations. I also know from experience that the "Zestimate" can be entirely off from the actual value of the property. (You and I have both looked at this on the maps, and it appears that many of the other homes in the area need renovating. This will affect "Zestimates.") I still wish I could see any earlier listings for this property, to understand what this seller - or other sellers - may or may not have disclosed. I would also like to read the actual appraisals. If the appraisals are closer to the "Zestimate", then I'd say it's a safe bet that this seller is trying to demand a higher price due to its allegedly being haunted. These additional bits of information would speak volumes.

I don't know much about the area, except for what I've been able to Google. Neighboring Scranton has apparently fallen on hard times, almost declaring bankruptcy in 2012. Dunmore appears to be a nicer middle-class area, with poverty levels 5% lower than Scranton. Supposedly some of the more affluent areas extend into Dunmore. This all begs to ask if the seller is trying to capitalize on this, or if he even needs to try. If you do a Zillow on Dunmore, PA, you'll find that this is among the more expensive homes. Other comparable Victorians, which have also been recently (and even more thoroughly) renovated, are going for about the same price to significantly less. Of course, there can be huge changes in price just due to the individual street. I still wonder if there's any price padding going on, entirely from it having a reputation it may or may not deserve. There's also no shortage of foreclosures in the area, and Victorians which need renovating are selling in the $30s. I suppose, in such a market, anything to make a property stand out from the crowd would help. Then again, I suppose something may be going on with this house. The previous owners were at this house for 7 years, but even then, we don't know if they stayed there, rented the place, or did any upgrades. If the house had a reputation prior to this, there's no way for us to know. If it didn't, it could either indicate a marketing ploy, or that the current seller stirred up some old energy.

Wish someone would buy it and invite us over for tea. I'd love to get a feel for the place.

 

[RenaissanceLady]

Even if it isn't haunted, I still like the idea of having a genuine Victorian for *only* $144,000. (I can barely find efficiency condos in this state for that price.) If I could paint the outside like a true Victorian gingerbread, I'd probably be perfectly happy - except, I know diddley-squat about Pennsylvania. Seriously, the time I spent in Virginia was the time I thought I would wither and starve. I think I'm more of a Colorado/New Mexico kind of girl, assuming I don't just pick up and go to Uruguay, allowing myself to be closer to some of my friends. Still, if the seller isn't kidding..... the experience would either be fascinating or terrifying.

 

[Rikki]

 

[RenaissanceLady]

I'd be genuinely interested in watching her friends try to "cleanse" a certain casita in Nambé. It's the whole dang community that's having issues. There's like layers of problems that happen in that area. It would still be interesting to watch. I also find is just hysterically funny whenever someone says they're going to exorcise a spirit. It sounds like they're going to give it a Thigh Master and insult it until it's entirely two-dimensional.

Thank you for sharing this. It's nice knowing that there are actual people who will try to help those selling haunted houses. I still suspect that many people will make a claim that a house is haunted, just to widen its publicity. Wish I knew more about that property in PA.