Does a haunted house affect mortgage approval?

Can a property with a death certificate be purchased? How do banks consider it?

As we all know, buying a house requires a significant investment, and mortgage loans are one of the ways for many people to realize their homeownership dreams. However, when the property you are interested in is labeled as a "haunted house," do you also feel concerned? Does a haunted house affect mortgage approval? Let's explore this topic.

First of all, let's be clear that there is no clear definition of a "haunted house" under Hong Kong law. Of course, if the property has experienced a major unfortunate event, such as murder or suicide, some people may regard it as a "haunted house." However, in fact, this view has no legal basis. Therefore, when the property you are interested in is labeled as a "haunted house," you should calmly consider whether it really meets your requirements.

Next, let's take a look at how banks consider the "haunted house" factor when approving mortgages. When deciding whether to approve a mortgage, banks will refer to several pieces of information, such as the property valuation by the appraisal company, and whether the property has a bad record, such as a major unfortunate event. If the appraisal company's valuation is too low or no valuation is provided, the bank will suspect whether there are problems with the property. In addition, if the property has experienced a major unfortunate event, such as murder or suicide, and has been widely reported or recorded on the "haunted house website," the bank will also consider these factors and may reject the mortgage application.

However, some banks still consider accident units instead of uniformly rejecting them. After all, each property has its own characteristics and advantages. If you really like this property, you can explain its advantages to the bank and provide additional information to help the bank understand the actual situation of the property. If the bank agrees to consider your application, they may require additional documents, such as proof of the accident unit and other information about the property.

In addition, if the property you want to purchase has a death certificate due to an owner passing away during the holding period, this will also affect the mortgage approval. If the cause of death is due to some kind of "accident," such as suicide or murder in the property, some banks may regard this property as a "haunted house" and reject the mortgage application. But if the cause of death is due to natural causes or other non-accident reasons, the bank may consider approving the mortgage.

Finally, it is worth noting that if the property you want to purchase has been labeled as a "haunted house," this will have a certain impact on the property's market value. If you want to resell the property in the future, you may find it difficult to find buyers because of the "haunted house" label, or you may have to sell at a lower price.

In summary, whether a haunted house affects mortgage approval mainly depends on the actual situation of the property. If you really like this property, you can provide additional information to the bank to help them understand the actual situation of the property. But if you still have some doubts about the property, it is recommended that you carefully consider before making a decision. After all, homeownership is a very important matter, and do not regret your decisions due to impulse.