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Spine-tingling sales warning for home owners

Friday, 28 October 2011 2:01 PM

Property owners are being warned that unusual happenings such as hauntings and crimes can dramatically affect the saleability of their home.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says events such as a high-profile murder that attracted a lot of media attention can have an unpredictable impact. A home where a murder took place could see a significant drop or increase in potential resale value, depending on the potential buyers' interests.

One seafront thatched property in West Sussex was the scene of a murder 15 years ago when a man killed his wife with a champagne bottle. The house could not be sold despite being highly desirable.

The owners of a Victorian detached bungalow made of black brick in County Antrim could not sell it because of rumours that it was being haunted by a ghost. It was repossessed last year.

Another house in County Londonderry built on the site of an old horses' graveyard went derelict and unsold for years and locals called for it to be demolished.

RICS spokesperson Jeremy Leaf said: "While many factors can affect a property's value, unusual occurrences such as rumoured hauntings, celebrity inhabitants or high profile crimes can have a significant affect on a house's saleability."

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