Americans love the cheap thrill of gut-wrenching fear. Every year, hordes of Halloween enthusiasts lock arms and flock to their local house of horrors. These zombie-obsessed adrenaline junkies happily pay for a good scare, fueling a $300 million haunted attractions industry.
So, how does that translate to “haunted” home sales in the real estate market?
Ask top real estate agents who’ve sold homes with the worst stigmas and rumors attached, and they say that selling a “haunted” house often lacks the drama, mystery, and fable of those manufactured fright nights.
You’d think the agents would want to play up the mystery and the folklore to attract more buyer attention.
But that’s not always the right move.
Step one: Talk to an expert!
Selling your house soon? Connect with a top agent near you to get an expert opinion on how much your house will sell for, what to fix before listing, and the latest local housing market trends.
We chatted with the real estate agent who sold the infamous Los Feliz Murder House in Los Angeles, analyzed dozens of marketing materials and press around real-life haunted house sales, and looked up real estate disclosure laws around stigmatized homes in all 50 states.
What we found surprised us:
If you want to sell a haunted house or a house tainted by murder stories, treat it like a matter-of-fact business deal and the whole ordeal won’t be as scary as you think.
Here’s how to sell a “haunted” house:
Work with a low-drama real estate agent who isn’t in it for the press
There’s no getting around it — a house with a history of hauntings or deadly foul play generates attention, whether it’s a full-blown three-ring circus or quiet whispers from surrounding neighbors.
The former was the case for Nancy Sanborn, a real estate agent in the LA area with over 40 years of experience, when she was hired in 2016 to sell what she thought was a regular old probate listing in a wealthy LA neighborhood.
The listing came as a referral and as she says, “I did not know its history when I took it on, but everyone else did.” She got up to speed quickly with nothing but a Google search, which instantly showed the property had been the scene of an unusually grisly crime nearly 60 years before.
Inside the ominous estate, the troubled Dr. Harold N. Perelson had killed his wife with a hammer, struck his daughter in the head, and taken his own life. That was December of 1959, yet rumors swirled for decades to come.
As the story went, the Perelson’s Christmas decorations — a tree and presents underneath — could still be seen there. (Later, it was rumored that these items actually belonged to renters who lived in the house afterward).
There was no putting a lid on the publicity surrounding this listing. The mansion drew attention as a notoriously haunted attraction on the local murder mystery house tour, being dubbed as “LA’s most famous and mysterious murder house.” Some say they’ve seen Dr. Perelson’s ghost.
But rather than take press calls pouring in from around the world, Sanborn rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Rumors aside, the house was in terrible condition and needed a ton of preparation to be suitable for the market.
“We just treated it as best we could like a normal listing,” Sanborn told HomeLight. “The murder took place in the ‘50s for goodness sake, and the rumor just stayed with the house. My obligation as an agent is to sell it for the most money possible, not to generate notoriety.”
Nevertheless, the house drew the biggest broker open caravan she’d ever seen and strange behavior from visitors with a morbid interest. Sanborn carried on and listed and marketed the house like any other, notifying the neighbors ahead of time so they could anticipate the extra street traffic and press attention.
Alabama
Alabama follows the “Caveat Emptor” Rule, aka buyer beware. This means buyers are responsible for inspecting the property before making a purchase. The seller and their agents are not obligated to reveal any defects unless specifically asked, except for issues that could pose health or safety risks to the buyers.
Alaska
As stated in Alaska Statute 08.88.615, the seller or the agent must disclose any murder or suicide that happened within one year before the date the property is first shown to the buyer.
Arizona
Arizona Statute 32-2156 protects Arizona sellers and real estate professionals from being held liable for failing to disclose that a property was the site of a “natural death, suicide or homicide or any other crime classified as a felony.” However, a court ruled in 2014 that the law does not protect against affirmative misrepresentations of facts about a property. In other words, although sellers may refuse to disclose, they shouldn’t lie about their reasons for selling a property.
Arkansas
According to Arkansas Code 17-10-101, no cause of action can arise against an owner or real estate agent for failing to disclose a property’s history of psychological impact, such as a homicide, suicide, or felony that occurred onsite.
California
Per California Civil Code 1710.2, owners and agents must disclose deaths (and the manner of the death) that occurred in the home within the last three years, but any deaths that occurred before that do not require disclosure. The code also states that owners and agents are not “immunized” from “making an intentional misrepresentation in response to a direct inquiry” from a buyer.
Colorado
Facts or suspicions regarding circumstances that could psychologically impact or stigmatize property are not material facts subject to disclosure, and no cause of action can be brought against a real estate agent or broker for failing to disclose such a circumstance, according to Colorado Revised Statute § 38-35.5-101.
Connecticut
Connecticut SB 481 prohibits lawsuits against owners and agents for failing to disclose “non-material facts” such as a death or felony on the property.
Delaware
Per Delaware Code section 2927, no cause of action can come against owners or real estate professionals for failing to disclose a property’s “psychological impacts.” If a buyer requests information in writing (except for history of diseases), the owner or agent must answer truthfully to the best of their knowledge.
Florida
According to Florida Statute 689.25, “the fact that a property was, or was at any time suspected to have been, the site of a homicide, suicide, or death is not a material fact that must be disclosed in a real estate transaction,” and owners and agents are protected from legal action for failing to disclose.
Georgia
Georgia Code 44-1-16 protects owners, brokers, and agents from any legal action against them for failing to disclose fact or suspicion that the property was the site of a homicide, felony, suicide, or death by accidental or natural causes. However, all parties must answer truthfully to specific buyer inquiries.
Hawaii
The fact that a property was the “site of an act or occurrence that had no effect on the physical structure” may be excluded from the disclosure statement. This information “shall not be deemed a material fact,” per Hawaii Revised Statute 508-D8.
Idaho
According to Idaho Code section 55-2801, no action can be taken against an owner or real estate professional for failing to disclose a property’s psychological impact history. A buyer may request in writing if the property is “psychologically impacted.” The agent can then report any findings to the buyer with the owner’s consent. If the owner refuses to disclose, the agent must relay the non-disclosure message to the buyer.
Illinois
Per the Illinois Real Estate License Act, Section 15-20 and the Illinois Association of Realtors, a real estate professional cannot be held liable for failure to disclose that a property was the “site of an act or occurrence that had no effect on the physical condition of the property.”
Indiana
According to Indiana Code 32-21-6-6, an owner or agent is not required to disclose “any details concerning the psychologically affected nature” of the house. However, an owner or agent may not intentionally misrepresent a fact concerning a psychologically affected property in response to a direct inquiry from a buyer.
Iowa
There’s no statutory law in Iowa that explicitly requires owners or agents to disclose upfront the history of a psychologically impacted property or its associated stigmas, such as a death, murder, felony, paranormal activity, or suicide that occurred on the property.
Kansas
There’s no statutory law in Kansas that explicitly requires agents or sellers to disclose upfront the history of a psychologically impacted property or its associated stigmas, such as a death, murder, felony, paranormal activity, or suicide that occurred on the property.
Kentucky
Per Kentucky Revised Statute 324.162 established in 2003, real estate agents are not required to disclose upfront any stigmas about a home, such as a murder, suicide, or violent crime that occurred on the property, but must answer any direct inquiries truthfully.
Louisiana
As indicated in Louisiana Revised Statute 37:1468, the fact or suspicion that a property was the site of a homicide, or other felony, or a suicide is not a material fact and therefore isn’t required to be disclosed in a real estate transaction.
Maine
Sellers will find the required disclosures in Maine Revised Statute 173 pertaining to the property condition. As for psychological impact, agents or sellers are not mandated by state law to disclose upfront the associated stigmas, such as a death, murder, felony, paranormal activity, or suicide that occurred on the property.
Maryland
According to Maryland Statute Section 17-322.1, a homicide, suicide, accidental death, natural death, or felony that occurred on the property are not a material fact relating to the property for sale or lease. Thus, agents may not be liable for failure to disclose such.
Massachusetts
As stated in Massachusetts Chapter 93, Section 114, agents or sellers are not required to disclose death, homicide, or suicide. An alleged parapsychological or supernatural phenomenon on site is not deemed as material fact by state law.
Michigan
No state law explicitly requires agents or sellers to disclose upfront the history of a psychologically impacted property or its associated stigmas, such as a death, murder, felony, paranormal activity, or suicide that occurred on the property.
Minnesota
Minnesota Statute 513.55 “does not create the duty to disclose” if a property was the site “of a suicide, accidental death, natural death, or perceived paranormal activity.”
Mississippi
According to Mississippi Code 89-1-527, the site of natural death, suicide, homicide, or felony crime (except for illegal activity that affects the property’s physical condition) isn’t a material fact that should be disclosed in a real estate transaction.
Missouri
Missouri Statute 442.600 law protects agents from any action being brought against them for failure to disclose a property’s history of psychological impact, such as whether it was the site of a homicide, other felony, or suicide.
Montana
Per code 37-51-102(b), Montana law does not consider the fact that a property was the site of a suicide or felony to be “material” and therefore does not require disclosure.
Nebraska
No state law explicitly requires agents or sellers to disclose upfront the history of a psychologically impacted property or its associated stigmas, such as a death, murder, felony, paranormal activity, or suicide that occurred on the property.
Nevada
Per Nevada Revised Statutes Code 40.770(a) a “homicide, suicide or death by any other cause, except a death that results from a condition of the property” is not considered material to the transaction.
New Hampshire
As indicated in New Hampshire Statute 447:4-e, agents and sellers aren’t required to disclose information to a buyer that a property “was a site of a homicide, other felony, or a suicide, unless the buyer requests such information.”
New Jersey
According to New Jersey Admin Code 11:5-6.4, real estate agents are not required to disclose information about “psychological impairments” including but not limited to a murder or suicide that occurred on the property, or rumors of the property being haunted. However, there is a duty to disclose such incidents truthfully when a buyer makes a specific inquiry. Per Petrosino v. Ventrice, a “psychological impairment” may be so intertwined with the physical condition of the property that it must be disclosed.
New Mexico
New Mexico Statute 47-13-2 states that real estate agents and sellers will not be held liable for failure to disclose that a property was the site of a natural death, homicide, suicide, assault, sexual assault, or any other crime punishable as a felony.
New York
According to the New York Consolidated Law Section 443-A, real estate agents are not required to disclose death by natural or accidental causes, homicide, suicide, or any type of felony that occurred on a property. A buyer may submit a written inquiry for such information. The seller may choose whether or not to respond.
North Carolina
Death, illness, or conviction of certain crimes are not considered a “material fact,” per North Carolina Statute 39-50.
North Dakota
This state follows the caveat emptor or “buyer beware” principle. If a buyer makes a specific inquiry about the home’s psychological impact history (such as a felony, murder, or suicide), the agent should pass along only what the owner tells them.
Ohio
There’s no state law explicitly requiring the disclosure of a property’s psychological impact history.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Statute 59-858-513 protects agents and sellers from legal liability caused by not disclosing that a property was psychologically impacted (was the site of a suicide, homicide, or other felony). However, a buyer can request for such information in writing, and the seller’s agent can provide it with the seller’s consent. The seller can choose whether or not to respond to the request.
Oregon
Per statute 93.275, the fact or suspicion that a property was the site of a “death by violent crime, by suicide or by any other manner” or “any other act or occurrence that does not adversely affect the physical condition of or title to real property” is not considered “material.”
Pennsylvania
Neither statutory nor common law requires owners and real estate agents in Pennsylvania to disclose that the property was the site of a murder or suicide. Moreover, psychological damage is not considered a “material defect.” See: Milliken v. Janoco (2013).
Rhode Island
The fact or suspicion that a property is “psychologically impacted” as the site of a homicide (or other felony) or suicide is not a material fact that requires disclosure, per Rhode Island statute 5-20-.8-6.
South Carolina
An owner in South Carolina is not required to and cannot be held liable for failing to disclose the fact or suspicion that a property may be or is “psychologically impacted,” including deaths onsite and the manner of the death, per South Carolina Code of Laws 27-50-90.
South Dakota
The disclosure statement requires the owner to disclose human death by homicide or suicide onsite, per Statute 43-4-44.
Tennessee
No course of action can be taken against an owner or real estate professional for failing to disclose a homicide, felony, or suicide that occurred onsite, per Statute 66-5-207.
Texas
A seller or agent has no duty to disclose “death by natural causes, suicide, or accident unrelated to the condition of the property,” per Texas Property Code 5.008.
Utah
An owner is not required to disclose that their property is “stigmatized” as the site or suspected site of a homicide, felony, or suicide, per Utah Code 57-1-37 and 57-1-1.
Vermont
There’s no explicit requirement to disclose the psychological impact history of a property in statutory law or the real estate disclosure form. However, according to the Vermont Real Estate Commission, “facts a licensee reasonably believes may directly impact the future use or value of the property” must be disclosed as material facts.
Virginia
An owner or real estate agent cannot be held liable for failing to disclose an onsite homicide, suicide, felony, or any act that did not affect the physical structure of the property, according to Virginia Code section 55-713.
Washington
Washington state has no statutory law that requires owners or real estate agents to disclose deaths or murders that occurred on a property.
West Virginia
West Virginia has no statutory law that requires owners or real estate agents to disclose deaths or murders that occurred on a property.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin does not require owners or real estate agents to disclose that a property was “the site of a specific act or occurrence if the act or occurrence had no effect on the physical condition of the property or any structures located on the property,” per Statute 452.23. However, the state disclosure form requires owners to answer the question, “Are you aware of one or more burial sites on the property?”
Wyoming
There’s no explicit requirement to disclose the psychological impact history of a property in statutory law or disclosure statement. However, according to Wyoming’s Property Condition Disclosure Act, “a condition, malfunction or problem that would have a materially adverse effect on the monetary value of the property” must be disclosed as defects.
Washington, D.C.
Section 2708.13, which outlines the Real Property Seller’s Disclosure Statement, makes no mention of the need to disclose a property’s stigmas or whether it’s been psychologically impacted by a death or crime onsite.
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