A funny thing happened on the way to this forum.

[Ronnocosed]

I have been loking at this site and reading its forum for quite some time but never had the urge to contribute until now.

Perhaps my joining in the forum has something to do with a recent experience of somebody’s psychic powers. I use the statement very loosely you understand but this lady and her son have just cost me a substantial amount of money.

A nice couple and a father came by my house the other day and after spending 45 minutes giving it the once over decided that this was the house for them. Yes, mine was for sale and I was delighted that they had offered the full asking price.

The next day, we showed around a mother and her grandson.

The agent has just called to say that this lady and her grandson (who the agent did not know was visiting the house) were the mother and son of the same very nice couple who wanted to buy our house.

Well it turns out she is a Physic/spiritualist. No really she was. She said that the spirits in the house were not right (I told her we were not leaving any of the alcohol – oops, never joke with a Psychic they can always see it coming can’t they?) and she added the spiritual presence was a very negative one. I suggested that she might like to venture into the garden as I am sure that she would get a better spiritual response as all my pets were buried there. She said she knew that too because she could hear them barking at her (this lady was good, how on earth could she know that?, oh hang on why could she not hear my cats too?!). She stood on the Driveway for sometime staring into space and then she vanished. Well actually she walked away up the street its just that I turned away for a brief moment and did not notice her leave.

The upshot of this rambling is that the very nice couple were advised by the negative spirits to withdraw their offer to purchase the house leaving us back at square one!

So, I came on here to bring me back to reality. Has anyone else lost a house sale because of the spirit world? Any suggestions on how to stop this happening in future? Should I take my tongue out of my cheek now?

It’s a true story.

I hope to be part of the community a little more from now on.

Thanks for listening - and thanks to Hutch for advising me to post here!

[Beady]

Any suggestions on how to stop this happening in future?

Well, you could try doing something or other that would keep keep the woos out. Not quite sure what, other than put up a sign saying "Serious Buyers, Only."

This happens all the time. Turns out the college I attended was founded by a guy who believed in phrenology, and would hire people based on the shape of their heads. I'm not too proud of that degree, although the place has since been elevated to state university status.

Question: Would you have had an objection if they had asked upfront to have you checked out by a psychic? By their priest?

[Ronnocosed]

If somebody wanted to run a psychic or a priest through the house I don’t know that I would object. I would like to observe though! However I feel about the “powers” of these people we all know that individuals sometimes hang on their every word. In this instance their money is as good as the non-spiritualists, so I guess I will succumb to the power of the pound.

[hipparchia]

Oooh do I get spiritual advice for my property ambitions.

One was- seek for a home in the center of the city. Well, the center of teh capital of pretty BG is a hole. Suppose anyone with psychic powers could see that it's a run-down, ancient house area. "Yeah, but some nice offer could show up"- yeah, if I take the advice and look for housing there, eventually something reasonable will come up.

The other advice was- do not buy (property in question). Well, in the end I would not have bought it and reasonably so, but BF decided to follow psychic advice. Shame how relying on that can prevent you from using your reasoning skills...

[Beady]

Hmm... This has started me thinking (no jokes, please)...

We're starting to think about moving to a smaller place. Where we're living now is right next to a Catholic cemetery (our bedroom has a lovely view of the headstones). We've been here 12 years and have never had a Trick-or-treater; I honestly don't know whether the cemetery has something to do with that, although I suspect it's more our rural location. On the other hand, there are kids in the neighborhood.

Oh well, just musing.

[brettDbass]

If somebody wanted to run a psychic or a priest through the house I don’t know that I would object. I would like to observe though!
What if it was Derek Acorah?
I'd invite him into my house.
I'd have it rigged with easily disarmed but well concealed booby traps all over as well though.

Come on now ghosties, you won't let your favourite gossip-buddy come to harm now will you? You're sure to warn him of where all my traps are and how to turn them off, huh? :p

[Jaggy Bunnet]

Hmm... This has started me thinking (no jokes, please)...

We're starting to think about moving to a smaller place. Where we're living now is right next to a Catholic cemetery (our bedroom has a lovely view of the headstones). We've been here 12 years and have never had a Trick-or-treater; I honestly don't know whether the cemetery has something to do with that, although I suspect it's more our rural location. On the other hand, there are kids in the neighborhood.

Oh well, just musing.

My old flat was across the road from a cemetery. It had several real benefits:

No danger of new building going up to block sunlight.

Neighbours were very quiet.

Reduced demand for on street parking compared to having 20 3-bedroom flats. (The cemetery was old, no "deliveries" and very, very few visitors.

[gfunkusarelius]

its not quite the same i guess, but my parents are real estate agents and they had some friends who were on some religion (sorry, i know they were asian but not sure which religion this is) where there were a ton of stipulations on the energies of the house and it drove my parents nuts. especially since my parents found them a house (after way too much work) and then the people sent referrals to my parents with the same demands. my parents didnt want to turn away the business, but besides all the normal issues people have in finding just the right house, they also had to deal with finding one that faced exactly north (i believe) and had the right layout for the energy flow, etc. my parents were always baffled because they could look for months, find a house with everything except one seemingly inconsequential "flaw" (like the bathroom being situated on the wrong wall for the flow or something) and it would be back to the drawing board.

[Orthoptera]

So, I came on here to bring me back to reality. Has anyone else lost a house sale because of the spirit world? Any suggestions on how to stop this happening in future? Should I take my tongue out of my cheek now?


Having sold a few houses, I can only ask, did you get any earnest money? As I understand it, an offer, once accepted, is a binding document-- one can't simply retract it unless provision for doing so is included in the offer. Generally I asked for say $10K US as earnest money, though that sometimes was reduced in the bargaining. But I never accepted an offer without the buyer's earnest money check in hand, to be forfeit if they backed out.

I also have to say I have found the retail side of residential real state, i.e. agents and buyers, to be replete with superstition and inane beliefs. Sellers and bankers are concerned solely that the money appears in the proper amounts, and are so much more pleasant to work with.

[grayman]

The home I bought has a church on the property that my ex-wife claims is haunted. I've had may friends and reletives spend the night in the church (it makes an excellent guest house) and no one, even the serious woo types, has ever reported seeing anything out of the ordinary.

Still creeps me out being over there at night though.

Welcome to the forum Ronnocosed :)

[Rasmus]

its not quite the same i guess, but my parents are real estate agents and they had some friends who were on some religion (sorry, i know they were asian but not sure which religion this is) where there were a ton of stipulations on the energies of the house and it drove my parents nuts. especially since my parents found them a house (after way too much work) and then the people sent referrals to my parents with the same demands. my parents didnt want to turn away the business, but besides all the normal issues people have in finding just the right house, they also had to deal with finding one that faced exactly north (i believe) and had the right layout for the energy flow, etc. my parents were always baffled because they could look for months, find a house with everything except one seemingly inconsequential "flaw" (like the bathroom being situated on the wrong wall for the flow or something) and it would be back to the drawing board.

Sounds like a nice niche they have cornered there. Your parents should adjust their prices and maybe learn a thing or two about those superstitions. (Maybe there is something that can be done to tame the bathroom of evil, too? I wouldn't be surprised if the buyers, too, aren't thrilled with having to look so much.)

[ObscureReferenceMan]

Hilarious! But, yes, you should have taken some kind of earnest money. Then not returned it. Then been taken to court, and have the woo grandmother try to explain the "spirits". Ha! :D

[Yahzi]

IHas anyone else lost a house sale because of the spirit world?
I've seen people lose a house deal over curtains.

So no, don't stop making fun of woos. What you do will have no impact on their decision (that's why they are woos, after all, to better ignore the real world), so do whatever you need to do, for yourself.

:D

[Thing]

Our house was apparently on the market for a long time. It's next to an electrical substation. At the time I thought my superior knowledge that the field in the house itself is insignificantly small had got me a good deal. I may not be feeling the same way if/when we come to sell it and bunch of tin-foil hatted buyers worry about the effects.

Ronnocosed: welcome! Nice post.

[Rasmus]

I may not be feeling the same way if/when we come to sell it and bunch of tin-foil hatted buyers worry about the effects.

I would recomment that you frame your doors and windows with thin copper wires, if you're feeling adventerous you could even ground them. :D The latter would mean actual work, though ...