Spooky UK sites cast a spell over local house prices

Living near one of the UK’s alleged most haunted houses may feel like a risk when Halloween comes creeping, but home-owning Brits in these spooky settlements have seen significant house price growth over the past ten years, according to new research from Halifax.

House prices near York’s Treasurers House – said to be haunted by the ghosts of Roman soldiers – have grown by 150%, from an average of £203,348 in 2019, to £508,003.

Properties near Ham House, Richmond, with its numerous reported ghostly sightings, have seen house prices risen by 97% over the last decade, with local house prices topping Halifax’s fiendish findings, at £1,139,765.

Another famous Richmond landmark, Hampton Court Palace, also creates a house price halo, with an increase of 72% since 2009, in the area once frequented by the UK’s most notable serial marrying monarch, King Henry VIII. Hampton Court is purported to be home to some of Henry’s ill-fated brides, with the ghosts of Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard, both spotted roaming the palace grounds.

Houses near Baddesley Clinton, a 500-year-old estate near Solihull, have the greatest premium compared to the West Midland’s county average, suggesting, at 153%, this is more than a phantom anomaly. Local residents might expect to see the ‘Lady in Grey’, a floating portrait, and plates inexplicably falling to the ground.

A journey to the other side, however, shows that homeowners banking on a paranormal premium may be in for a shock of their own.

While house prices in Dover have increased by 49% over the past ten years; they remain 35% lower than the Kent average. Dover Castle is rumoured to be one of Britain’s most haunted sites, with gruesome sightings including a headless body.

Houses surrounding the spooky sites of Dunster Castle (Minehead), Borley Rectory (Sudbury), Jamaica Inn (Launceston), Woodchester Mansion (Stonehouse), the Tower of London (Tower Hamlets), and Speke Hall (Liverpool) are also cheaper on average than the wider county equivalent.

Similarly, the least expensive properties, at £132,458, are near Speke Hall in Liverpool – home to the spectral ‘Lady Mary’ and her infant son.

Russell Galley, Managing Director at Halifax, said:

“While our investigations show house prices near many of the nation’s haunted houses have benefited from a rise, it’s certainly not something we should lose our heads over. With a wealth of rich – and macabre – history, residents in these ghoulish areas have plenty of options when it comes to Halloween horrors. If you’re interested in purchasing a property in one of these terrifying towns, you’ll get more for your money in Liverpool or Preston, compared to more expensive areas such as York or Solihull.”

Kindly shared by Halifax