The mortgage for the macabre: More than two thirds of Brits willing to buy a haunted house

• Almost two in five would offer under the asking price for a haunted house, knocking off an average 19 per cent
• Newcastle is the most spooky city, as one in five claims to have experienced – or know someone who has experienced – unexplained paranormal activity
• Barclays Mortgages research exposes the temptation these creepy cackles and mysterious movements may have on some prospective buyers

With Halloween looming and shows such as The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor increasing in popularity, ghostly activity is a hot topic of conversation, prompting feverish discussions about paranormal experiences in many households.

New research from Barclays Mortgages has revealed that more than two thirds (67 per cent) of Brits would be willing to put in an offer on a haunted home, though almost two in five (39 per cent) would wish to knock an average 19 per cent off the asking price to compensate for embracing the fear factor.

The nation’s love for Gothic horror and supernatural dramas is clear, with old listed buildings, converted churches and houses next to cemeteries among the most attractive homes for those in the market for a taste of paranormal activity.

The Barclays Mortgages survey of 2,000 people exposed the spine-tingling statistic that almost one in five (19 per cent) Brits claim to have experienced or know someone who has experienced unexplained paranormal activity in a property, such as knocking, whistling, singing, footsteps and objects moving or disappearing.

When it comes to national hotspots with a chill in the air, the most haunted city might in fact be Newcastle, where almost a third (32 per cent) have either seen, or know someone that claims to have seen or heard a ghost.

Most haunted cities (based on percentage of respondents in each city claiming to have seen or to know someone who has seen a ghost):
1. Newcastle (32%)
2. Belfast (27%)
3. Glasgow (25%)
4. Nottingham (25%)
5. Liverpool (24%)

Yet Londoners are significantly more likely to be spooked than any other region when it comes to paranormal matters, with 40 per cent stating that they’d take the drastic decision to move house if they found out their home was haunted.¹

Dr Peter Brooks, Chief Behavioural Scientist at Barclays said: “When it comes to horror, there’s a real spectrum of different reactions, from those who squeamishly avoid any mention of the supernatural to those who actively seek it out with a healthy dose of morbid fascination. Ultimately, we all have different stimulants for what we find scary, and what may trigger the instinctive flight or fight mechanism in our brains.
Such attitudes extend to our house-buying preferences as well. Our research shows that while rumours of a home being haunted is enough to send chills down the spine of some purchasers, others actively seek out haunted houses because they like properties with a bit more ‘character’, or spot an opportunity to negotiate a good deal.”

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Notes
¹ Top 5 regions who would put their property on the market if found to be haunted)
1. Greater London (40%)
2. North West (30%)
3. North East (28%)
4. East of England (28%)
5. Scotland (27%)

About Barclays
Barclays is a transatlantic consumer and wholesale bank offering products and services across personal, corporate and investment banking, credit cards and wealth management, with a strong presence in our two home markets of the UK and the US.
With over 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 40 countries and employs approximately 83,500 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide.