Developers Reveal Secrets to Successfully Selling Haunted Houses

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Properties that have already acquired a “haunted” stigma often pose a particular challenge for developers and owners. However, with certain strategies, houses with negative images can still be marketed until they eventually sell in the market. Vice Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Real Estate Association (DPP REI) Bambang Ekajaya revealed that the most effective step commonly taken is to carry out a comprehensive overhaul, even to the point of demolishing the old building. According to Bambang, the stigma usually arises from tragic events that were once widely publicised, such as criminal acts or suicides. Such conditions cause buyer interest to drop dramatically, with prices potentially falling by more than half from the market value. “If it has gone viral and is known to many people, interest will definitely drop and the selling time can be very long,” Bambang told Kompas.com on Sunday (26/4/2026). Therefore, developers need to make significant changes so that the old image no longer sticks. One strategy employed is to completely redesign the building and introduce a more modern design. This method is considered capable of changing potential buyers’ perceptions of the property. Bambang cited his experience dealing with a property that once attracted attention due to a suicide by a tenant. The house did not sell despite being marketed for more than three years. After deciding to demolish the old building and rebuild with a contemporary design, the property was finally released to the market. In addition, he highlighted the case of a house in the Pondok Indah area that went viral as a “haunted house”. The property remained unsold for more than a year before it was eventually bought by an investor. For long-term investors, such conditions can actually be an opportunity because the initial low price provides room for greater profit margins after redevelopment. With the right strategy, stigmatised haunted properties do not always become a burden but can be transformed into valuable assets through different development and marketing approaches.