Want a Cheap property? Try a Haunted house

Buyers target Hong Kong's 'haunted houses'‎


"Gweilos don't have the same beliefs as Hong Kong people and just want a cheaper price in a nice area," says Winnie Ng of Rich Harvest property agency.

. . .

By law, buyers are entitled to details on so-called "haunted houses" -- or hongza in Cantonese -- and many rigorously check the backstory to their potential purchase.


But not everyone is afraid of ghosts, and in the cut and thrust of Hong Kong's runaway property market some investors are actively following the tragedies, aware that dark incidents push the price down.

Discounts of between 20-40 percent are the standard for haunted houses with a knock-on for the rental yield, says Eric Wong of the squarefoot.com.hk property website, which has a channel dedicated to the phenomenon.

"Hong Kong people are sensitive to ghosts and bad luck," he says.


"They believe in feng shui -- if something bad has happened in a home people won't take it... but Hong Kong is small and very expensive, so if a good discount comes there are others ready to make the investment."


And for the savvy buyer there are plenty to choose from.


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It's great. The ghost is negotiating on your behalf. By the way, in the UK, a haunted house can often be sold at a premium. They are associated with up-market properties (castles, vicarages, inns). It also makes living there more interesting.