When it comes to superstitions, the ultimate unlucky day may be Friday the 13th, which comes in October. It happens about three times a year, so some people take special precautions on this day.
In real estate matters, agents have their own superstitions. Why tempt fate when you can do some things to bring good luck and avoid bad luck?
Some real estate agents follow certain superstitions all year round. The most famous piece of real estate folklore involves a statue of St. Joseph buried upside down in the front garden. St. Joseph is the Catholic patron saint of homes, and real estate agents carry that forward into home sales.
Kelly Moy, an agent with Compass Real Estate in Boulder, Colo., said burying the statue is likely to help sell the property.
“Some sellers embrace this fusion of spirituality and superstition to facilitate successful transactions,” Moye says.
Moyet added that statues should always be buried upside down. The theory is that when Joseph is buried upside down, he tries hard to get out of the ground to find a comfortable home.
Luck can be found in doorways, too, says Tonya Curry, an agent with Compass’ Lifestyle Ranch & Home Group in Brenham, Texas.
In many cultures, hanging horseshoes is considered good luck, she said. Horseshoes have been considered sacred since ancient times, as iron was originally believed to have magical properties.
“Some people still believe that hanging a horseshoe over a door creates a barrier against negative energy,” Curry says.
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Selling your home can be an emotional decision. To bring in some good vibes, Compass Seattle’s Angela Woodard advises her clients to write to her home.
“If a customer isn’t ready to sell their home, no matter how well you market, price, and prepare, it’s going to be difficult to sell,” Woodard said. “To address this, when a seller is having a hard time moving on, they should express their gratitude for the beautiful memories they had there and wish the next owner well, whoever that is.” Sometimes people write letters home saying prayers.”
Sometimes home sellers leave letters inside the home. Or hand it over to a new owner as a way to honor the past and pass on the torch, Woodard said.
Moye said other superstitions to help real estate transactions go smoothly include not putting up a pending sale sign in your yard because it can jinx the sale.
And when Friday the 13th comes around, some real estate agents try to avoid scheduling home closings on that day. It may be a myth, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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