Have you watched the popular television show American Horror Story? In the first season of this show, the main characters purchase a haunted house that has severe ramifications on their life. The home that the family moves into is a restored mansion that they purchase at a reasonable price, unaware that the home was haunted by the former residents of the house. This may cause you to ask yourself: does your real estate agent have to inform you if the home you are seeking to purchase is considered to be "haunted?"

Unfortunately, real estate listings do not out rightly state whether or not a house is "haunted," unless the specific appeal of the house may lie in its alleged ghostly inhabitants. If you directly ask your real estate the question, they may be responsible to provide you with information on events that took place in the house, such as a murder or death.

How can I find out if a house is haunted?

Many states have different laws governing the disclosure of information concerning haunted houses. If your state does not explicitly determine that a house is haunted, you may want to take this investigation into your own hands.

Some things that can show whether a house has some history:

1. Examine the seller's disclosures that discuss the physical condition of the property and anything that may affect the sale of the home.
2. Speak with neighbors and people in the community about the home and whether it is a good place to live or raise a family.
3. Spend a little bit of time performing internet searches on the property to see if any reports of supernatural activity have been written.
4. Directly ask specific questions about the home's history and whether or not there have been hauntings or paranormal activities.

Real estate agents aren't in the practice of directly asking whether the house is haunted and sellers oftentimes may come up with alternative explanations as to why certain things may occur. Making questions direct, as well as reading between the lines, may be the best bet to help you get to the bottom of things about your potential purchase.