Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? It’s that time of year, and we don’t mind sharing our (possibly biased, but probably true) opinion that real estate agents have the absolute best ghost stories out of any profession.
A few years ago, Bernice Ross shared a couple of haunting experiences from her early days as a Realtor: one when showing a home to a friend on Waverly Drive in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, where Ross recalls, “As we walked through the property, I had the worst vibes of any house I have ever been in before or since. My client felt it, too — the place really frightened us and we couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”
After asking a colleague, Ross discovered that the home was where the LaBiancas were killed by the Manson murderers.
And her other tale (involving a new build, surprisingly) has to be read in its entirety to fully enjoy.
We collected a few more examples of haunted real estate, from haunted chairs available for “freeeeeee” to a closing that still haunts the dreams of one of the agents involved.
(Got your own spooky tale to share? Tell us in the comments!)
4. The haunted chair
Twin Cities real estate broker Teresa Boardman sent us this picture of a chair up for grabs on the street:
The haunted chair Teresa Boardman found
“I wouldn’t take that home,” I told Boardman, who informed me almost immediately that someone who wasn’t as nervous about what that wicker might hold had snatched up this gem.
I guess we can’t say they weren’t warned.
2. The new ghost
Walnut Creek, California, agent Lori Georgiou told us this tale:
“Wanted to check out this new listing secretly tucked back off the busy road. It had been in the family for many, many years (later I found out.) The home felt like an old bed and breakfast when I stepped inside; very large and decorated as such. No bedrooms were upstairs, so I saw a door, which I thought would be a hallway door but it led downstairs to all the bedrooms, and it was dark and creepy! Everything was constructed in dark wood (stairs, walls, floors) so it made it feel even darker.
“I walked down these stairs into a long, dark hallway that lead to what I guess was the owner’s large master bedroom looking out over the property. Every turn I took in that room, I felt someone watching me. I could not wait to get upstairs and out of there!
“While I was walking (swiftly) back up the stairs to get out of that basement, a door slammed behind me! I swear I flew up those stairs and ran out of the house so fast!
“Called the listing agent to ask if by chance someone had recently passed and she said that yes, as a matter of fact, the owner just died two months prior…and how did I know that?!?! That house was on the market for months, needless to say!”
3. The old ghost
St. Petersburg, Florida-based agent Jeff Copeland also had a ghost story to share:
“About a year, ago I was in an old 1936 bungalow (foreclosure with no electricity). It was after dark and pitch black inside, but I had driven across town to see it (alone), so I decided to check it out by the light of a little LED pen flashlight.
“In the closet of one of the back bedrooms, I came across this (written on the back of a plumbing access panel).
“I realize you can’t read it because the picture was taken in the dark… But it was something to the effect of “Nanny’s House, 1950 – 2011…,” a few paragraphs about the late Nanny, her home, her family tree, etc., and the last sentence read “This back bedroom (which I was presently standing in, in the dark, with a little pen light) is haunted by a little girl from the 1920s.”
“Needless to say, I got the hell out of there!”
4. The closing story: ‘I still have nightmares’
And one more just for fun from Detroit-area agent Christopher Gerback.
“July 2014: Closing on a $1.8 million sale….all documents executed, closing company making copies for all participants.
“Buyer starts to grumble at seller while still sitting at table. In one haunting sweep…buyer (now owner) grabs his certified check for closing from the closer and tears it up, and shouts, ‘DEAL OFF.’
“Does not get much scarier….I still have nightmares.”
Don’t forget to leave your own tale of horror (whether or not it involves the supernatural) in the comments!
Editor’s note: These comments have been edited for style and clarity.