Spooky season is in full swing, so what better time to explore one of Italy’s most unique real estate ventures? Ghost-House, based in Bologna, is the country’s first real estate agency specializing in the sale of haunted and mysterious properties. Whether you’re into the paranormal or simply looking for a home with a rich and eerie history, Ghost-House offers properties that are anything but ordinary.
The birth of Ghost-House
The agency was founded by Fiorenza Renda, a real estate agent with over 30 years of experience and a passion for history and the paranormal. One of her most significant experiences, and what partly inspired Ghost-House, was her involvement in selling the Bologna home where the infamous Francesca Alinovi murder occurred. In 1983, Alinovi, a respected art critic and academic, was brutally killed in her apartment in a crime that shocked Italy. The case, which involved Alinovi’s then-boyfriend, Francesco Ciancabilla, is still discussed for its sensational nature.
Renda’s role in selling this notorious property made her realize there was a market for homes with dark pasts, which ended up sparking the idea of Ghost-House.
What Ghost-House offers
Ghost-House’s portfolio is filled with properties filled with histories of unexplained phenomena, tragic events, and even ghosts; among them, for instance, we find the Castle of Affrico, located in Gaggio Montano, just outside Bologna. According to local legend, this medieval castle is haunted by the ghost of a young woman who threw herself from a cliff after suffering heartbreak due to unrequited love. Those who visit the castle have reported sudden and unexplained temperature drops in certain rooms, which many believe to be the presence of this grieving spirit, a forlorn Giulietta inconsolable, who still can’t find peace.
If you are not fully into gothic narratives and buildings, Ghost-House also lists apartments and villas with their own spooky stories: for example, a Bologna residence is said to be haunted by the sound of cupboards slamming shut, and there’s an apartment where several residents have reported seeing a little girl in the window despite the property being vacant for years. Spooky!
How much does a haunted home cost?
While you might think haunted houses would come at a discount, the opposite is often true: believe it or not, the eerie histories of these properties tend to increase their value, with prices ranging from hundreds of thousands to over a million euros, depending on the size and location. The already-mentioned Castle of Affrico, for example, is priced at around €500,000 (roughly $525,000): may not seem much for a castle, but still pretty steep when you think it is located in a small and secluded — albeit beautiful — hamlet.
However, let’s keep one thing clear in mind: purchasing a haunted property isn’t without its challenges. I mean: are you ready to live in a place that people believe to be haunted?
A niche market
… Which leads me to the next question: who buys these places? Believe it or not, demand for haunted homes is on the rise, and Ghost-House is tapping into quite an up-and-coming niche market, driven by buyers who love history, mystery, and perhaps, a good scare now and then. But many are drawn to these properties not just for their ghostly reputations but for the opportunity to own a piece of Italy’s rich historical and cultural heritage: in fact, the agency has attracted clients from all over the world, from those curious about the paranormal to investors looking for unique tourist accommodations, Renda explained.
Ghost-House is a good example of how the real estate industry can cater to unusual and diverse interests. Let us say that, by offering properties that come with their legends, history, and perhaps a ghost or two, this Bologna-based agency is redefining the concept of “dream home” for those with a taste for the supernatural. Therefore, if you’re in the market for a house with a spooky past, Ghost-House may have just what you’re looking for!
