The superstitious among you may balk, but if the number 13 holds no fears you could shave a little off the cost of a house
Today will be fraught with peril for people living with friggatriskaidekaphobia (the irrational fear of Friday the 13th), but the number 13 is far from terrifying for prospective homebuyers. Houses with this number are worth an average �3,924 less than neighbouring properties, making them a "bargain" for less superstitious buyers, according to a survey by property website Zoopla.
The average value of a house in the UK with the number 13 is �205,085 compared to an average of �209,009 for the surrounding 11, 12, 14 and 15 numbers, the survey claims. Numbers 1 and 2 are the most valuable addresses because these typically occupy corner or end-of-terrace locations, and house prices gradually decrease as the address number increases.
Zoopla also found that more than a quarter (28%) of streets in the UK don't have a number 13 address, and some local councils, including Lewes district council and Herefordshire county council, have banned the use of number 13 in new housing developments. But while new streets can be built without a number 13, changing or removing it from an existing property is against the law.
In the press release accompanying the survey, Nicholas Leeming of Zoopla says: "Brave souls can secure a great bargain by purchasing a number 13 house. And buying something identical to next door (with the exception of the house number) for 2% less and saving almost �4,000 on average is like having your stamp duty and legal fees paid for you ? a prospect even the most superstitious of people may find hard to pass up."
As funny and quirky as all this may be, there seems little relevance in the stats for serious homebuyers who are unlikely to search for their dream home by house number, while the �4,000 figure will do little to cheer first-time buyers struggling to buy a home.
Indeed, one glamorous television presenter currently has her number 13 house, which is also within the SW13 postal area, on the market for �1.75m ? completely unaffordable for the majority of the homebuying public and graphically illustrating how house number is no indicator of affordability.
Many first-time buyers will also scoff at the idea that a �4,000 discount off prices they already deem to be wildly inflated represents a bargain. These people would be far more interested in a 13% drop in prices than what number is on the front door.
And while there is little chance of Friday the 13th resulting in a sudden instance of bad luck or the terrifying appearance of classic hockey mask-wearing movie villain Jason Vorhees, they may be heartened that the prospect of double-digit falls in average nationwide house prices remains real. Still, that would be very unlucky for existing homeowners, wouldn't it?
Do you live at a number 13? Is your house worth less than next door? And would you buy a home if it was number 13?
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2011/may/13/lucky-number-13-homebuyers
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