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13 Sept 2024
Superstitious home-movers appear to be actively avoiding moving on Friday 13th but the door number could present an opportunity for buyers, research suggests.
Superstitious home-movers appear to be actively avoiding moving on Friday 13th but the door number could present an opportunity for buyers, research suggests.
Analysis by Rightmove shows that despite Friday usually being the busiest day of the week for home moves, today is unlikely to follow that trend.
Since 1996, Friday the 13th is the quietest day for completions compared to any other Friday, according to Rightmove.
What’s more the 13th day of the month is also the quietest day for completions compared with any other day of the month, the portal said.
The superstitions go beyond moving, as houses numbered 13 are valued £5,521 lower than the average of £364,139 across the study.
Rightmove analysed property valuations of more than 10m houses numbered one to 100, with properties numbered 13 typically being valued lowest, suggesting some superstitious buyers are put off owning a home with the traditionally unlucky number.
Houses numbered one are the most sought after – averaging over £39,000 higher (11%) in value at £397,632. Meanwhile, homes with the lucky number seven have an average valuation of £369,770, 3% more than homes with the number 13.
House number | Average property value |
1 | £397,632 |
2 | £390,630 |
3 | £378,807 |
4 | £378,016 |
5 | £373,948 |
6 | £371,531 |
7 | £369,770 |
78 | £367,818 |
8 | £367,675 |
76 | £366,865 |
Top 10 most expensive house numbers
For non-superstitious buyers, homes numbered 13 therefore may present a unique opportunity to secure a more affordable property, potentially turning this ‘unlucky’ number into a lucky bargain, Rightmove suggests.
House number | Average property value |
13 | £358,618 |
21 | £359,538 |
27 | £359,561 |
19 | £360,112 |
23 | £360,196 |
16 | £360,228 |
73 | £360,251 |
83 | £360,269 |
17 | £360,350 |
24 | £360,391 |
Top 10 cheapest house numbers
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “Despite the superstitions surrounding the number 13 and Friday the 13th, buyers willing to challenge these traditions could find themselves in a prime position to negotiate better deals.
“Our data shows that significant discounts are often available on properties with this traditionally unlucky number. With potential savings of more than £5,000—money that could be put towards Stamp Duty or other moving expenses – even the most superstitious buyers might be tempted to overlook the number on the door.”
Estate Agent Today