Post by Joanna on Oct 25, 2016 18:03:57 GMT -5
Would You Consider Buying a Haunted House?
CLEVELAND, Ohio – In the market for a new place to hang your hat? A new report by Realtor.com, released last week found 35 percent of respondents claim they have lived in a haunted house. The survey also found about 62 percent of American home buyers are open to buying an abode that has a reputation for being haunted. How can you tell if your dream house is haunted? According to the survey, home buyers believe a house has a better chance of being haunted if ....
Most popular warning signs a house could be haunted:
• 61 percent of respondents thought a cemetery on the property may be an indication.
• 50 percent believe homes over 100 years old could be haunted.
• 45 percent thought quick transitions in ownership might be a sign.
• 45 percent believe an unexplainable low price on the home is alarming.
• 43 percent feel houses in close proximity to a battlefield could be haunted.
Survey respondents said they were willing to purchase a haunted house at a discounted price – at least 30 percent less than market value – but many said levitating objects, ghost sightings and seeing objects move from one place to another would be a deal breaker.
Spooky occurrences that would prevent the purchase of a house:
• 75 percent would be scared off by levitating objects.
• 63 percent by objects being moved from where they were placed.
• 63 percent by ghost sightings.
• 61 percent by supernatural sensations.
• 61 percent by flickering lights or appliances turning on and off by themselves.
• 60 percent would pass on a house with strange noises (phantom footsteps, slamming doors).
• 34 percent would be deterred by cold or warm spots.
We did some shopping on the national real estate websites and found there are/were several haunted dwellings on the market in 2016. Some, according to their agents, have been taken off the market for the Halloween season because of their reputation. Would you consider buying one?
The Dakota1 on Manhattan’s upper West Side in New York City is best known as the site of John Lennon’s murder. The building currently has five units for sale. But it’s not the ghost of the Walrus that renters/buyers should worry about – though his widow, Yoko Ono, claims she’s seen him postmortem playing the piano in Apt. 77. Rather, it’s one of the ghosts that haunted Lennon, a spirit known as the Crying Lady Ghost, for which you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled should you take up residence in the creepy old Victorian era building.
Campbell Castle (pictured above) in Wichita, Kansas, was built over a two-year period (1886-88) for Cattle Baron Burton Harvey Campbell. The house is a nod to the castles of Scotland and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This 11,000+ square-foot home has 17 bedrooms, three full baths and one half-bath, conference room and commercial kitchen, and sits on two acres facing the river. It also is said to come with a few inhabitants that refuse to leave. Parts of the castle were salvaged from European homes and there are those who believe ghosts were attached to some of them. True or not, it is up to you to find out.
The Priestley Home in Canton, Mississippi, was built by Dr. James Priestley in 1852, and is up for grabs at the bargain price of just under $700,000. Both Dr. Priestley and his wife died there, and Mrs. Priestly’s spirit has been sighted several times. People have also witnessed musical instruments played by unseen hands and candles dropping from their holders.
The Charming Forge Mansion in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, comes equipped with a native stone fireplace – and reportedly the spirit of the man who once owned the estate – Henry William Steigel, an iron furnace company owner who got himself into debt. Steigel can still be heard slamming doors and stomping up the stairs. Legend has it that a man accidentally hanged himself outside the mansion with the reins of his spooked horse. Now he glides across the property – minus his head – while his bride-to-be weeps in an upstairs room.
The Schweppe Mansion2 in Lake Forest, Illinois, is tucked away in the lush woodlands on the banks of Lake Michigan. It was originally built in 1917 as a wedding gift for Laura and Charles Schweppe from her father John G. Shedd, the then-president of Marshall Field & Co. Unfortunately, 20 years later, Laura suffered a heart attack and died. Four years after that, servants found Charles Schweppe with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and an eerie note: “I’ve been awake all night. It’s terrible.” Though the reason for his suicide remains a mystery, some are convinced the couple reunited in the afterlife. According to reports, the eternal sweethearts now roam the halls, primarily lurking about in one of the mansion’s 10 bedrooms. Which one? Make a bid and find out.
The Starrett Mansion in Port Townsend, Washington, is a red brick and mortar Queen Anne dwelling constructed by George Starrett as a testament to the undying love he felt for his wife. A male spirit and a red-haired female figure – believed to be Mr. and Mrs. Starrett – have been spotted on the property.
The Pillars Estate3 in Albion, New York, is a Civil War-era estate, which, over the years, has housed phantoms from all walks of life. The ghosts of children may indulge you in a rousing game of hide-and-seek. A woman with a white parasol flutters about the six-acres of grounds. And an invisible presence likes to tickle the ivories of the piano in the mansion’s parlor. At present, the estate serves as a bed and breakfast and rental space. It is currently off the market.
The Hampton Lillibridge House (above) in Savannah, Georgia, is the place for those who like their sweet tea with a wedge of lemon and a twisted story. This 18th-century abode is located on a quiet residential street in the heart of what may be the most haunted city in America. According to the listing, just three previous owners have occupied the home since its restoration and relocation, and, well, one can only assume that’s because it's haunted. Apparently, the edifice was the scene of several deaths, including a suicide. Additionally, in the mid-1800s, workers unearthed an ancient crypt – actually, an empty crypt, making the account even more chilling.
The Ma Barker House in Lake Weir, Florida, is where “Ma” and her son, Fred, were gunned down during the longest shootout in FBI history and the 2,000 bullet holes are still visible. The house remains pretty much as it was on January 16, 1935, the day Mrs. Barker and Fred were brought out feet-first. According to the stories, Ma and Fred never left their last hideout. Recently, the state of Florida attempted to buy the property and turn it into a museum, but Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the purchase.
Source: Brenda Cain, Cleveland.com, October 25, 2016.
1“The Dakota Apartments: Where the Dead Walk”: whatliesbeyond.boards.net/thread/6066/dakota-apartments-where-dead-walk
2“Chicago’s Haunted Schweppe Mansion for Sale”: whatliesbeyond.boards.net/thread/4223/chicagos-haunted-schweppe-mansion-sale
3“The Pillars: Haunted Mansion for Sale”: whatliesbeyond.boards.net/thread/3976/pillars-haunted-mansion-sale