To start the new year with a laugh and a bang, we take a look at the lighter side of the real estate world as well as fun facts about properties that you might not know.
Is your house Ghost-busted?
If you sometimes hear creaking noises in your home, don't worry. It's not a ghostly intruder or even a sign of old age. Rather, it is more than likely the building materials in your home, such as wood, that are reacting to changes in humidity and temperature.
If, however, you do have a haunted house and you live in America, you can take the previous owners to court for not being honest about their resident ghosts. In 1991 the American Supreme Court found in what was referred to as the Ghostbusters ruling, that paranormal activity must be disclosed when a property goes onto the market.
In South Africa, all defects must be disclosed and a recent murder and/or suicide could be seen as a factor that could deter a potential buyer and therefore shall be considered a defect. Also, according to some interpretations of the Consumer Protection Act, sellers are obligated to disclose any problems they might have encountered such as crime and recent deaths. If they will comply, however, is another question. Rest assured though that professional property practitioners will disclose such details if they are aware of it.
Not that it deters everyone. The house in which former Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013 was sold a year after the fatal shooting to mining consultant Louwtjie Louwrens for R4.5m, although the owner was recently quoted as regretting it. In America, famous haunted houses and properties used in horror movies are often popular amongst buyers.
Now you see it, now you don't
In Japan, ghosts might not have enough time to settle in, because, in this country, nearly half of all homes are demolished within 38 years. It seems residents there prefer a spanking new home with properties losing their value within 15 years.
The Feng Shui Factor
While in the Eastern hemisphere, there is also the Feng Shui factor to consider. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging buildings, objects and space in a way that is said to bring calmness, good luck and prosperity into your life. This brings us to the curse of the corner house.
According to Feng Shui a corner property is bad luck. Most corner houses are at a 90-degree angle. In Feng Shui this angle between two roads is called "scissors evil spirit" and bad luck is sure to come your way - that is if you believe in Feng Shui. Otherwise, you are looking at more privacy and space for your buck.
Strange requests
While on the subject of angles - property practitioners are sure to get a few strange requests from sellers about what they are looking for on the market. If you're a book lover, you might not find this strange, but one home buyer insisted on right-angled walls for his bookcases. Another woman was excited when she was shown a walk-in closet because she envisioned using it as a library.
These are still mild requests and reactions. Here are a few things that buyers wanted included with the house: A stripper pole, a large wooden statue called Babu that was in the living room, and the current owner's parrot. That was granted, but another offer for an owner's cat was declined.
In Canada, an owner requested that he would be allowed to live in the basement until he died. The potential buyers agreed - only to find out that the old man enjoys swimming in the lake every morning - naked.
There have also been requests to leave behind the following: the furniture including the sheets on the bed, the fridge and the food inside it, garden gnomes since the buyer felt they might get angry if removed and a chicken called Little Jerry Seinfeld.
One estate agent said a couple asked him if the car in the driveway comes with the property.
Sandra van Tonder from Seeff Plattekloof recalls a potential buyer asking her whether the pool comes with water and whether the avocados will be left on the tree. However, the pool question is not that strange, says Sandra. In the very hot and dry Northern Cape where she was working in those days, water was an issue. Sellers would sometimes use the pool water for the garden to cut costs during transfer.
If you have it, flaunt it!
The most expensive home in the world is Antilia, the private residence of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family. There are 27 floors and who knows how many steps to climb, but of course there is not one, but nine high-speed elevators! The property also has a 168-car garage, three helipads, several swimming pools, a health spa, a ballroom, a 50-seat theater, and terrace gardens. It is also designed to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake.
Room with a view
When it comes to extravagant sales, one of the most expensive property sales occurred right here in Cape Town when a German couple bought a Bantry Bay home for R290 million. Quite a bit for a holiday home, but the couple also bought the adjacent vacant land to ensure that their view never gets spoiled.
The world of real estate can be weird and wonderful, glamorous, fast-paced and expensive, and you have to agree that these facts are priceless!