This House Number Could Drag Down Your Home's Value

Lots of factors go into property value. Some buyers may prioritize considerations like a home's condition or square footage. Others might be looking for potential upgrades to increase a home's resale value, such as solar panel installation or window replacement. But there's one factor that apparently transcends any and all the essential features of a house in the eyes of many buyers: the number on the front door. That's right, a study by the British real estate company Zoopla found that a property's address can significantly impact a house's price if it has the number 13 on the front.

The study found that properties with the address number 13 are worth around £8,974 — roughly $12,000 — less than the average U.K. property. The lower value was likely due to widespread fear of the number 13. This phenomenon even has a name – triskaidekaphobia. While the direct effects of triskaidekaphobia on the U.S. real estate market aren't as clear, experts recommend buyers save at least 25% of their ideal home price before making a purchase. So, American buyers might take discounts where they can get them, even if it comes with some unlucky implications. Trulia also reports that 13 appears in asking prices 13% less than often than 12, while the similarly superstitious 666 shows up even less frequently.

While it makes sense that big investments like unnecessary home improvement projects can cause homeowners to lose money, a simple number decreasing an entire property's value is a bit different. Sure, spending a bunch on concrete renovations such as installing inground swimming pools might not make you a profit when you sell, but superstition in real estate and its effects on property values all come down to demand. Demand remains the force at the core of what actually controls home prices. According to Zoopla's study, 30% of respondents stated they would avoid buying a property with the number 13, and another 24% expect that homes with the number 13 would have a lower sale price.

While an unfortunate home address can't be upgraded as directly as a roof or spare bedroom, being aware of the superstition can help sellers list their homes with realistic expectations and develop a sound pricing strategy to hopefully avoid as much value degradation as possible. There are still buyers out there ready to take all the important features a piece of real estate has to offer into account, and some less superstitious folks might not be bothered by a 13 on the front at all.