Haunted House
Jul 23, 2013, 1:13 PM | Updated: 2:22 pm
QUESTION: Rebecca in Topeka owns a haunted house. She can’t live in it, and she can’t get rid of the demons in the house. They need to sell it and can’t. It’s been vacant for six months, and they’re required to disclose that the house is haunted. Dave is at somewhat of a loss how to counsel Rebecca on this property.
ANSWER: I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been doing real estate for my whole life and I’ve been on the radio for 23 years, and I’ve never had to deal with a demon-possessed house. This is the first one I’ve had to deal with. I’m at a little bit of a loss. I don’t know exactly what to do with it. As a Christian, I do believe in demons, but I really don’t sweat them much. Big Jesus, little demon. I don’t sweat this much. I read the back of the book. We win. I’m not freaked out about this stuff like some of my brothers and sisters in Christ.
It might be very appealing to some people in our culture today. Have you thought about calling those paranormal TV show guys? They’re all too busy. There are too many haunted houses.
You didn’t have any trouble detecting them. They hide unless, of course, you stir them up.
I think you need to put it on the market with a real estate agent that knows what the flip they’re doing and isn’t freaked out about this stuff and just says, “Hey, the former owner had the perception that this thing had some spiritual issues. You need to know that was the former owner’s perception, and we can’t guarantee you that you’ve got demons. You might get that lucky or you might not. That’s an added feature.”
Let’s get it on the market with a good real estate agent that knows what they’re doing selling houses. Get the thing cleaned up. Don’t make a big deal about it, but be honest and upfront about it. That’s fine that you guys had some weird experiences while living there. Let’s get some offers on it. You don’t even have an offer on it.
Craigslist is not a real estate agent. You don’t sell your house on Craigslist. You put it on Craigslist? What? Haunted house? I mean, come on.
Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to go to daveramsey.com, and I want you to click on Real Estate ELP and get some professional advice from one of the top real estate agents in your area about how to get the house marketed and get it sold, and hopefully, you won’t have to write a check for the difference.
I know this has obviously been a very traumatic thing for you guys—what you’ve been through—but I wouldn’t make a major federal case out of it in terms of putting a sign in the front yard: “Demon-possessed house for sale.” I just wouldn’t do it. I would just say, “Hey, we had some weird stuff happen when we lived there. I can’t tell you that it won’t or will happen when you’re there,” because you can’t. You don’t know. You’ve been gone six months. They may have left. They may be over at the gossip’s house across the street. They may be setting up a haunted house down the street somewhere, getting ready for Halloween.
I don’t know what to tell you. That’s all I know how to tell you. It’s so bizarre that it’s funny and weird to talk about it. Is it spiritually possible, according to the Bible? Yeah. Is it something I run into? Never have I run into it ever before. Am I saying it could never happen? No, I’m not saying that at all.
Wacky! That’s what it is. You know that. You sound like a levelheaded person, but what you’re describing is just bizarre stuff. Very, very unusual. It could happen and might be, but I would just get the thing sold and move on with your life.
By the way, if the next house that you get into has this kind of trouble, then you’re starting to see the common denominator at that point. That would be you. You want to be careful about that as well.
