07.03.08
Selling the Home…Ghosts and All!
To some of you, this may seem like a silly topic. However, if you’ve ever lived in a old, creaky house frequented by eerie noises, unexplained icy drafts or shadowy figures, you may way to read on.
I always get funny looks from homeowners when I get to the part of the Listing Agreement that talks about “any facts or suspicions regarding circumstances that could psychologically impact or stigmatize the Property.” This clause is listed in under the section that says ”Broker shall not disclose the following information without the informed consent of the Seller”. One example of one of a stigmatizing factor is a suspected haunted house. This means we are not required by the Colorado Real Estate Commission to disclose this. We are not even authorized to talk about this unless authorized by the homeowner.
So, what can you do to address any of your concerns? If I were working with a client who specifically wanted to avoid homes potentially “haunted”, I would first talk to the Listing Agent and the Seller. If we can convey that this type of activity is a “material fact” to you as the Buyer, we may be able to get the information we need. Next, if the homeowners or occupants are not available or are avoiding the conversation, it may be time to meet some of the neighbors. It’s important to remember that any second hand information may be exaggerated or even untrue (dependent upon the neighbors actual knowledge or their personal involvement).
To sum things up…even though disclosure isn’t required, you may be able to do your own investigation to get to the bottom of things. If you’d like more information about buying Colorado Springs real estate (haunted or not), give us a call!
