David Field

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New research from Smile Mortgages, part of the Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) has revealed some of the stranger happenings that occur when you view a house. Usually when you reach the threshold of an average looking home the estate agent's smile is enough to make you feel uneasy. But some people have had even spookier experiences, such as witnessing a ghost-like presence. What kind of experience this was we can only patch together through guesswork. I imagine some people have felt a chill on their shoulder when wandering through an empty room, or spotted a dark figure at the top of the stairs. One thing's for sure, any ghostly experiences in a home I'd looked around would certainly put me off.

But forget ghouls, dusty carpets, leaky taps and squeaky doors, turning up to a house and finding the roof had fallen in has to rank as one of the worst possible viewings ever. The CIS research ranked it at number two behind homeowners having given each of their pets their own bedroom - certainly a freaky experience to be exposed to.

Overall, 23.5 per cent of people surveyed by CFS said they'd experienced some kind of unusual encounter. Some have even split up with their partner over disagreements over what home to buy. This seems a tad drastic, or perhaps finding a home poses a unique opportunity to fully understand your partner and maybe spot the things you can't stand in each other.

Some people have an altogether better experience when they view homes. The research noted that a few people end up making friends with the people who are selling. This seems to me like a great plan for people who want to sell, but quite fancy regular visits back to their former abode so they don't miss the place. Becoming friends with your buyers and then getting invited back to regular dinner parties means you can make sure they haven't put up awful wallpaper.

There were some experiences that you don't generally bank on witnessing when you view a home. Some unfortunate people have walked in on a couple together in the bedroom and others have witnessed someone sleeping off a heavy drinking session. It seems sometimes house viewings couldn't be scheduled for a worse time!