Haunted houses can be a hard sell

Every house has a story. Sometimes they’re ghost stories.

"I've been in several homes where the hair on the back of my neck stands up," Jan Leaf, Coldwell Banker associate broker, said Monday. "When you're in downtown Coeur d'Alene, odds are that someone has passed in your house."

Hauntings allegedly occur in locations where deaths, violent or nonviolent, have occurred. Hauntings can vary from residual — like a recording of the past that plays over and over — to intelligent, where the alleged spirit interacts with the living. Many states require disclosure of these reports.

In Idaho, agents aren't required to tell buyers or renters if a murder, suicide or death occurred on their property. Hauntings and deaths fall into the "psychologically impacted real property" category under Chapter 28, Title 55 of Idaho Code § 55-2801. According to the Idaho Association of Realtors "Legal Hotline" guide published in 2013, "no cause of action shall arise against an owner of a real property or a representative of the owner for a failure to disclose to the transferee of the real property or a representative of the transferee that the real property was psychologically impacted."

However, agents are encouraged to discuss possible hauntings with sellers, and potential buyers have the option to state in writing that a psychological impact is a factor in the decision to buy.

"Agent should again seek consent from seller before disclosing any information regarding the property being haunted," the guide states. "If seller refuses to disclose, agent should notify the potential buyer that such information will not be disclosed."

Leaf said although it can be difficult to sell a psychologically impacted property, she personally discusses the matter with property owners to be as open as possible with buyers, who will probably find out one way or another.

"I always tell them, 'What are the first things that your neighbors are going to tell the buyers of the house?'" she said.

For example, she had a house on the market where a death occurred in the back yard. She made sure to have permission in writing from the property owners to tell the buyers of the tragedy.

"We knew that the neighbors were going to be hanging over the fence," she said.

Leaf said she knows of a house, not in the area, where a double murder occurred. Potential buyers were informed about it and still wanted to see it.

"The house had a good feel," Leaf said. "There were lots of fun years in that home."

Coeur d'Alene resident Ryan Hanks said he thinks buyers should be informed, especially if it was an unnatural death.

"People should have a right to peace of mind in their own homes regardless of anyone else's thoughts or beliefs," he said.

Tracii Jo Bowers Ziegler of Newman Lake said she and her family bought their house knowing a death had occurred on the property, "but it was our choice." She said she thinks deaths should be disclosed so buyers are aware and can make up their own minds about living in a house that could be haunted.

"I have a friend that is 'sensitive' to paranormal activity but I have never felt anything," she told The Press. "Some couldn’t care less and others would never even consider buying a house where someone dies."

For those who are curious about potential hauntings and prior deaths on their property, www.diedinhouse.com provides reports on specific addresses for a fee.

Leaf said sometimes houses "don't feel good" and she has even been with potential buyers who picked up on a bad vibe in a house she was showing them.

"They said, 'Let's get out of here,'" she said. "And I said, 'I know, I'm saying the same thing.' I did tell the agent about it."

Leaf said she doesn't know of any houses on the current market that are vacant because of a haunting, but she always recommends potential buyers spend a little quiet time in a house to get acquainted with it before making a decision.

You know, just in case.