New York's ridiculous paperwork demands
So, it seems that in the state of New York, it is compulsory property law that vendors sign a specific doccument if they even think that their property might be haunted in any way. Legal action in the supreme court created the ruling, now known as the Ghostbusters ruling.
Due to the litigious nature of most americans in the state of New York, it can be very costly if you do not complete the correct paperwork when selling your home. If you have ever had any inkling that you may have spooks, ghouls or poltergeist in your residence, and you dont complete and lodge with the real estate agent your stat dec it could not only cost you the sale, but you might also lose the house or go to jail! So what constitutes a 'haunting' anyway?
- Strange noises or smells that cannot be explained
- The movement or dissapearance of objects on multiple occasions, which cannot be acclaimed to human error
- The sudden appearance of new, strange or previously 'lost' items
- Electrical or mechanical items breaking regularly
- Lights turning on and off on their own, doors opening/ closing on their own.
- Sudden or very localised temperature drops even in summer
Any 1 or all of these things, if they happen regularly can be considered haunting enough to require the paperwork. The (now) standardised statutary declaration became common practice in the years following the court case, which was brought by a new owner against a vendor, with the claim that they would not have purchsed the apartment had they known. The film ghostbusters was written in the 1980's by and starred Dan Ackroyd: it was based on his own experiences growing up in a family known for its long history of ghosthunting.
Ghostbusters car on the streets of New York
Lucky for us we live in Australia, where if your house is haunted it can actually ADD value.
Jayne Saunders
Jayne has been involved in property since the 1980's and has accumulated a massive knowledge library, including some funny facts like this.
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With 30+ years experience, Jayne is an industry leader with an extensive knowledge base, and is the face of this family business.
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