I can’t live at number 13 and other property superstitions

Published: 04/10/2013

Sometimes, when you’re buying a property, you can do with a little bit of luck so is it all that surprising that many prospective buyers have their own set of property superstitions? With Halloween just a few weeks away we look at the top five property superstitions estate agents have encountered when dealing with potential buyers.

1. My offer is £188,888

Thanks to the HSBC adverts we’re all well aware that the number 8 is considered lucky in Chinese culture so much so that many potential buyers will incorporate as many eights in their offer as possible.

2. Odd number, odd property

If you ever go to Las Vegas there’s a good chance you’ll stick a little wager on odds or evens on the roulette table. Odds and evens hold much more weight to some buyers than just a spin the wheel. Sales and Marketing Director at Pentland Homes, Julie Price, once met a couple who insisted on only buying property with even numbers:

“They have purchased over 20 homes and say they have only had good experiences living in even numbered properties, compared to their experiences in odd ones!”

3. Any completion date but Friday 13th

Many people like to complete on a Friday – given that it then leaves the rest of weekend to get the new place in some kind of liveable order. However if the first available Friday happens to be Friday 13th many will push for the following week or opt for a different day entirely.

4. I’d like to live at number 68

And it isn’t just 8 and 13 which are considered lucky or unlucky. Many Chinese buyers won’t buy a property with the numbers 4, 17, 19 and 53. However numbers 1, 2, 6 and 68 are seen as lucky numbers and therefore these properties are much more desirable - so much so that some buyers have been known to offering more than the asking price to secure the purchase!

“We once had a client who wouldn’t buy a property with certain door numbers,” remembers Jo Eccles, Director of Sourcing Property. “It got to the point where she wouldn’t even view a property which had the wrong door number, even if it was perfect.

“In the end we settled on a compromise where the residents in the Mayfair block she bought gave permission for her to remove the flat number from her door, and also from the letterbox in the communal hallway.”

5. The sound of running water

There was a time when feng shui was massive and everyone was pulling their back muscles lugging around their sofas to ensure they were in their optimal position to radiant harmony. While for the majority the craze has passed, it remains a key element to some buyers.

“Historically, feng shui has played a matter of importance for Chinese buyers,” comments Richard Barber, a partner at Estate Agents W.A.Ellis. “They much prefer waterside properties as this indicates positive feng shui and creates a feeling of harmony and nourishment within the property.”