Two-thirds of buyers would get a haunted house, Zillow survey finds

They ain't afraid of no ghost.

With housing in short supply, 67% of prospective home buyers would purchase a haunted house as long as it was affordable, in a good location or had other appeal, a Zillow survey found.

The U.S. is short about 3.8 million housing units, both for rent and for sale, according to the most recent estimates from Freddie Mac. What is available is out of financial reach for most Americans. It now costs 52% more to buy a home compared with renting an apartment, new analysis from real estate firm CBRE found.

"The combination of high prices, limited inventory and rising interest rates is creating a witches' brew of trouble for would-be homeowners," Manny Garcia, a senior population scientist at Zillow, said. 

Zillow's survey found that 35% of prospective buyers would buy a haunted house if it cost less, while 40% could be convinced to purchase a haunted house if it had appealing features, such as a pool, a big backyard or a two-car garage. Around 35% of prospective buyers would go for a haunted house if it was in their neighborhood of choice. 

Zillow's latest monthly market report shows that housing inventory remains more than 10% lower than this time last year, and more than 40% lower than 2019 levels. A Zillow analysis also shows that buyers now need a six-figure income to comfortably afford the typical U.S. home, assuming a 10% down payment. 

"When balancing so many priorities in an inventory-starved market, avoiding ghosts and ghouls doesn't always make the cut," Garcia said. 

Not everyone needs the appeal of more affordable prices or a pool to consider a haunted house; ghosts are a major selling point for some home buyers. Zillow's survey found that 29% of prospective buyers were more likely to purchase a home if it were haunted.