Copyright Parade
Key Points 86% believe houses can be haunted; 12% report living in one. Common signs include strange sounds, moving objects, and apparitions. One-third would buy a haunted home if the price was right. Wondering if your house is haunted? Who better to ask than the people who sell them. On Tuesday, October 28, Realtor.com dropped a new survey just in time for Halloween — and let’s just say, a lot of Americans are convinced their homes have… extra tenants. According to the report, 86% of people believe houses can be haunted. 12% say they’ve actually lived in one, and another 7% know someone who has. So, what are the telltale signs that your place might have a few uninvited guests? Strange sounds — 67% of respondents said they’ve heard footsteps, music, or banging noises when no one else was home. Apparitions or shadowy figures — 61% reported seeing shapes or figures moving through the halls. Objects moving on their own — 58% said things shifted, fell, or even switched rooms without reason. Phantom touch or pressure — 51% described the sensation of being touched, tapped, or having pressure on their body. Disembodied voices and flickering lights — 51% heard voices they couldn’t place, and nearly half said their lights or appliances turned on and off by themselves. Of course, not every bump in the night means you’ve got a ghost. Experts say a lot of “haunting” moments have perfectly normal explanations. Popping sounds can come from your plumbing or foundation settling. That cold draft? Usually leaky windows. And feeling someone sit on the bed could be sleep paralysis — which, to be fair, is almost as terrifying. Still, some people don’t just believe in haunted houses — they buy them. On August 1, comedian Matt Rife posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren’s former home and occult museum, becoming the legal guardian of their entire haunted collection, including the Annabelle doll, alongside his friend Elton Castee. Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now. View directly on 𝕏 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 As one agent pointed out to Realtor.com, sometimes a “haunted” home just needs a little TLC. “Remember, that a haunted reputation doesn’t necessarily make it a bad home,” said Casey Gaddy, senior real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty in Philadelphia. “Neighbors might say it’s haunted, but in reality it’s a house with good bones that’s been neglected and needs the right buyer to bring it back to life.” Whether truly haunted or just misunderstood, a spooky reputation is enough to scare some people, but not everyone. The same survey found that one in three Americans would buy a haunted home if the price was right. Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now. View directly on Instagram Another 14% said it wouldn’t change their decision either way, and only 15% said “absolutely not.” Even homes where someone has died of natural causes don’t automatically send buyers running — 44% would still make an offer if the deal was good. But when it comes to darker histories, most people draw the line. Nearly 80% said they’d never buy a house tied to a violent crime or murder. 💪 SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week 💪 And it’s not just everyday homeowners who’ve had ghostly run-ins. Celebrities have their own haunted house stories too. Adele once admitted she felt uneasy in her English estate, calling it “scary” back in 2012 during an interview for CBS’s 60 Minutes. Miley Cyrus told Elle UK her London rental had a ghost haunting the bathroom and was “seriously so terrifying.” Jenny McCarthy claimed her piano started playing by itself one night. Post Malone made headlines in 2018 after a supposed run-in with a cursed “dybbuk box,” and Demi Lovato has shared her own paranormal experiences on Peacock’s Unidentified with Demi Lovato, saying she believes in spirits — just not all of them are bad. So if your lights flicker tonight or you hear an unexplained thud, maybe it’s your pipes… or maybe it’s your house trying to say “boo.” Either way, happy Halloween — and good luck sleeping with the lights off.
