I Suspect My Hose is Haunted-Do I Need To Dislose to Realtor?

[ralph124c]

Our 90 year old bungalow is in very good shape-over the years we have installed a new kitchen, two new bathrooms, and a bedroom.
We have also finished the basement (a livingroom and bedroom).
For the age of the house, it looks good on the outside as well (new windows and front door).
Our problem-the house has some weird things going on-our dogs will not enter the basement-when forced, they will bolt upstairs as soon as possible.
Cabinet doors open and close by themselves.
The upstairs bedroom walls vibrate in the early morning-we have a large wall mirror that makes a tapping sound against the wall-this hapens from 6 AM till about 8 AM.
Recently, the older female dog (Daisy) was sleping downstairs on the sofa-she started whining and crying at 2 AM-I went downstairs-and nothing was there-she went upstairs and fell asleep.
When we list the house, do we have to disclose this?

[FairyChatMom]

Only disclose it if you can leave a list of reliable exorcists at closing. I could be wrong, but I don't think house noises need to be disclosed...

[Musicat]

If, as you say in the OP, your "hose" is haunted, you need to see a doctor.

But if you meant your house, I might be able to help, as I am a Realtor, but my license and knowledge is only valid in my own state. Your state may be different.

You are required by law to disclose any material adverse fact that you know about that could affect the value of the property. If you tell your agent about any of these, he/she is also obligate to disclose to any buyer.

The question often comes up about a haunted house, which seems to fall in the ambiguous area between a broken light (probably not material adverse) and a leak in the roof (probably material adverse). Since no one can prove that ghosts exist or a house is really haunted to scientific certainty, a case could be made that you don't have to disclose something that doesn't exist.

And the problem with your dog might be due to something you haven't considered; a smell, a sound that only your dog detects. And older houses often develop noises. Why not have a contractor or home inspector look at those?

However, it is a maxim that disclosure is always the best policy. If you give a written disclosure which is signed by the buyer, then the buyer can never come back and sue you later.

OTOH, you could hire a priest and pay for an exorcism. If you do, get a certification from the priest that the house is now paranormal-free. (Just kidding; I don't know if priests do that.)

[MsRobyn]

If your house is a local tourist attraction because it's known for being haunted, it falls under the category of "stigmatized property" because the traffic may disturb future residents. On the other hand, if it's not, just hire an exorcist and be done with it.

[Jenaroph]

I was simply going to suggest you buy a new hose. You can get a pretty good one for what, $20?

[KneadToKnow]

If it's a garden hose, I'd suspect gnomes.

[Al Bundy]

When I have a haunted hose, I take antibiotics to cure it.

[kanicbird]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

When I have a haunted hose, I take antibiotics to cure it.

That only works against bacterial haunting, using them for non-bacterial haunting just cause the ghost bacteria to develop resistance to the antibiotics.

or something like that

[eclectic wench]

I read this as 'I suspect my nose is haunted'. I was wondering how something like that would manifest itself.

[sevenwood]

Originally Posted by eclectic wench

I read this as 'I suspect my nose is haunted'. I was wondering how something like that would manifest itself.

Dripping ectoplasm.

[Dewey Finn]

I recommend that you make a point of disclosing this to any prospective buyers, so that they can have a good laugh at your expense.

[Zebra]

I wonder why your house is vibrating. Are you near a subway? A highway? Is there underground construction going on somewhere? How long as this been happening?

Or call those guys from TAPS and they'll figure out what is going on and declare if your house is haunted or not.

Wait, when you added to the house, did you move the bodies too or just the headstones?

[panache45]

I wonder how often "My hose is haunted" is used in a paternity case.

[Jackmannii]

I have long suspected that hose is haunted - all garden hose.

It kinks, it tangles and knots up, it trips you, it deliberately drags itself across your expensive, easily damaged plantings.

Hose is evil.

Throw it all away before you put the house on the market.

[Man With a Cat]

I once had a haunted hose. A quick flushing did the trick.

It's funny how simple typos or things like leaving your browser open around mischievous friends can gibe you a lifetime rep here - ask Hal.

From now on you'll be the guy with the haunted hose. Enjoy.

[Muffin]

You only have to worry if you sell to someone who is stupid enough to believe in ghosts. To get the skinny on how the law treats this problem in your jurisdiction, consult a lawyer, but obviously you will not do this because you are allergic to lawyers.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Jackmannii

I have long suspected that hose is haunted - all garden hose.

It kinks, it tangles and knots up, it trips you, it deliberately drags itself across your expensive, easily damaged plantings.

Hose is evil.

Throw it all away before you put the house on the market.

I think you're onto something here.

[picunurse]

I guess I AM old.When I read "hose" I thought of nylon stockings. If they make your legs look like a '50s vamp, then you should keep them.

[cmyk]

Toss a tennis ball into the upstairs children's closet. If it falls through a portal in the ceiling below, get the fuck out. You may be living on Native American casino property.

[Zulema]

It may vary from state to state but in Wisconsin you do not.

[Chefguy]

I once dislosed my haunted hose. It turned out to be mimsy in the borogrove.

[cmyk]

Nor do you in Derry, Maine.

[Pixel_Dent]

If I were house hunting and a seller disclosed that the house was haunted I'd be worried that a relative or someone like that could come along later and say they weren't competent to enter into the sales contract using their belief that the house was haunted as evidence. Just keep it to yourself.

[Jeep's Phoenix]

Have you had the basement tested for mold?

Also, are the cabinets original to the house?

[ENugent]

In New York, you must disclose, although it's not clear that this would apply in a case where you haven't previously advertised the house as haunted. Elsewhere, I'm not aware of it having been litigated.

[Hyperelastic]

If I understand it correctly, in California you do not have to disclose whether someone died in the house, but you do have to answer truthfully if the buyer asks. That's not far from having to disclose a suspected haunting.

[Enola Gay]

I watched an episode of "Infested" a few days ago, where a family moved into a beautiful 100 year old house. They thought the house was haunted because it made all sorts of weird noises- mostly at night, their dogs acted weird, the walls vibrated, cabinets opened, etc. Turns out there was a huge rat infestation. Tens of thousands of them were living inside the walls

[ducati]

Long ago when I rented an apartment, they told me they had to disclose a murder in the apartment.

Since it was half price, I jumped on it. Never heard any moans or chains, though...

[Jeep's Phoenix]

Did they throw in a new garbage disposal too?

[wheresmymind]

A friend of mine recently bought a house, and the agent informed her that one of the previous owners had drank (drunk?) himself to death in the house. She assured my friend that an exorcism had taken place, just in case. To which my friend basically replied "oh that sucks, I would have paid extra for a house that came with a drunken ghost!"

[Cat Whisperer]

We bought our current house from the parents of the owner who died - I don't know if he died in the house or not, though. It doesn't seem particularly haunted, except by the ghost of the smokers who lived in it at one point (we bought it as a non-smoking house - someone somewhere lied to us).

[Kenm]

Originally Posted by eclectic wench

I read this as 'I suspect my nose is haunted'. I was wondering how something like that would manifest itself.

A picture is worth a thousand words. (The face amidst the ectoplasm is that of Conan Doyle.)

[Snickers]

Originally Posted by eclectic wench

I read this as 'I suspect my nose is haunted'. I was wondering how something like that would manifest itself.

Originally Posted by sevenwood

Dripping ectoplasm.

Bummer. I thought I just had a cold.

[Muffin]

Ralph, do you believe in ghosts or other supernatural haunting beings?

[eclectic wench]

Originally Posted by Kenm

A picture is worth a thousand words. (The face amidst the ectoplasm is that of Conan Doyle.)

Bwahahaha!!!

[astro]

I am a Realtor. This question comes up frequently as a continuing education test question for distinguishing between a "material fact" that would impact value vs non-relevant information to a buyer.

In your case the answer is "no". The only case in which you might have to disclose the possibility of the house being "haunted" would be if it had a public reputation or was otherwise famous or notorious for being a haunted house. It is not considered to be a material fact if you personally suspect your house is haunted by ghosts. If your house has a public reputation for being a haunted house, or even if you have publically talked it up or written about it as a possibility, that is a material fact which could potentially impact value as potential buyers perception of the house as a desirable place to live may be negatively impacted.

Keep your mouth shut and no worries. Chat it up and take your chances.

A relevant article.

[Uosdwis R. Dewoh]

Originally Posted by FairyChatMom

Only disclose it if you can leave a list of reliable exorcists at closing.

Always remember to pay your exorcist lest they repossess your house.

[Count Blucher]

Originally Posted by panache45

I wonder how often "My hose is haunted" is used in a paternity case.

I'm not sure it'll keep kids off your lawn...

Originally Posted by Jeep's Phoenix

Have you had the basement tested for mold?

Don't be silly! I'm sure they threw the body out.
Jesus! Haven't you people ever heard of bleach...!?

Originally Posted by ducati

Long ago when I rented an apartment, they told me they had to disclose a murder in the apartment.

A realtor? A Lethal Injection party? In your apartment? Why didn't I think of that???
Beats the Hell out of fondue....

[Muffin]

Originally Posted by Uosdwis R. Dewoh

Always remember to pay your exorcist lest they repossess your house.

Thread winner!

[Pessemist]

I know this is off topic a bit but I recently sold my home and moved into a rental. The rental was previously owned by a close friend of mine who died suddenly.

His daughter inherited the house and I and my dog moved in about 3 months after her father died.

Since day one weird things have been happening. My dog refuses to go downstairs at night and wakes up barking her fool head off at 5am for no reason I can discern...a behavior she never exhibited before. Since I am the only one living there no one else has access yet items left on counters are now found in places I KNEW I did not put them there. Sounds at night have woken me up and it has got so bad that I scream "Cut it out Andy!" and, strangely enough, he does.

After living there about 6 months the strange going on's have tapered off.

Pesse (shrugs) Mist

[Thudlow Boink]

Am I the only person who read the thread just to see how people would make fun of the mistake in the thread title?

[Mr. Excellent]

Originally Posted by Man With a Cat

It's funny how simple typos or things like leaving your browser open around mischievous friends can gibe you a lifetime rep here - ask Hal.

Quiet, ewe.

[Siam Sam]

Maybe he means his pantyhose is haunted. I know I've seen some pretty magical things in pantyhose. But I suspect the OP wouldn't be one of them.

[Icerigger]

In my house we had two people die in the same room, my father and grandfather. I wonder if that would affect a possible buyer if they knew?

[mrnmrsg]

Hi! I want to start by letting you know I once did paranormal research. So I'm sorry if I'm "wordy." There are many reasons that you may be having these phenomena, beyond that of the paranormal. The mirror, for example: I used to live near a metal press company and right around 5/6a.m. it'd go off. My apartment would literally shift. If your mirror is loose and you live anywhere near a company such as the one I mention, even a landscaping company, that MAY answer that situaion. As for the dogs, I'm more of a "cat person" so I can't answer much about dogs, but growing up I had a few and I do know they grow lonely and will whine (esp as they grow older) at night as sight goes... or maybe s/he just missed you!

BUT your question was should you reveal a spirit in the home? I, personally, wouldn't mind owning a home which was "otherwise inhabited" , but I imagine MOST people would. Considering the market, and how rough it's been, I'd say no. And my reason below is why:

See, a house may, indeed, have otherworldly visitors; however, sometimes the PEOPLE (in our case, you) who see/experience things, do so only becasue they ARE CAPABLE/OPEN MINDED to such activity. The next family may not be that way. Perhaps we are "all tuned" in to some level, some more than others. Have these experiences been at all DANGEROUS in any manner? If not, again, I'd say No to disclosure.

There are times a person, individually, gets a spirit attached to him or her! In that case, sorry to say, it goes with that person usually to wherever said person goes. Eventually. There's more to that but that's a book in itself and would not affect resale.

So, unless you know someone who is into this type of thing, and your experiences have NOT BEEN of any DANGEROUS type (no extreme insomnia, depression, arguments where no issues existed prior) then I'd just let the dead be.

[mrnmrsg]

I know my answer is off topic, but I am amazed how your adjusting to this! It sounds, to me, that Andy is ... Andy still! Thank you for writing, and for sharing that!

[Eve]

Originally Posted by mrnmrsg

There are times a person, individually, gets a spirit attached to him or her! In that case, sorry to say, it goes with that person usually to wherever said person goes.

Like cat fur? Is there some kind of sticky spirit clothes-brush I can use for that? Spirit gum, maybe?

[mrnmrsg]

Oh God... Cat fur is Farrrrrr worse! Sticks with you forever! LOL!

[Pessemist]

Originally Posted by mrnmrsg

I know my answer is off topic, but I am amazed how your adjusting to this! It sounds, to me, that Andy is ... Andy still! Thank you for writing, and for sharing that!

I've had a few things happen over the years that I can't explain. I tend to be left brained and ignore it but my mother is highly sensitive.

If you remember Nanny and the professor she had like a 'Nanny-like' sense about her.

I remember more than once her coming home because she 'knew' something was wrong and finding rescue squad and firetrucks in the driveway.

Pesse (going to an actor from 'Ghost Hunters' TV show here in Toledo 1/27/2012) Mist

[SnakesCatLady]

Originally Posted by mrnmrsg

Oh God... Cat fur is Farrrrrr worse! Sticks with you forever! LOL!

Cat fur sticks to everything but the cat.