Who Ya Gonna Call?

I sent the MLS listing to a buyer who had found the home online. On the listing she saw that “Seller” was given as “Trustee.” “Does that mean the owner has died?” she asked me. “That’s kind of creepy.”

I assured her that it didn’t mean anyone had actually died in the house, but I could ask the listing agent if it would make a difference. Would it be a deal breaker if someone had died there? “If it makes no difference, I suggest we don’t ask.”

I don’t believe in ghosts myself, so I’m not afraid of them. I’d actually count it as a plus, if a home came with one. Anybody remember “Topper”? But not all clients feel that way, I know. Some buyers won’t consider a house that’s even within sight of a cemetery.

And who’s to say they’re wrong? When I first started in real estate, I used an older gentleman as my inspector of choice. He told me that he could tell if there had been a death in the house. Usually, he said, he could tell exactly what room in the house the person had died in. I don’t know if I believed that, but I know he did.

I’d just as soon not have a ghost in any of the homes I’m showing to my clients. I can handle termite infestations, radon mitigation, even compromised floor joists. But a ghost? Who would I call?