Does your house number REALLY matter?
Lucky door number thirteen
Surprisingly, the answer is YES!
Having spent several years living in Hong Kong, I am no stranger to the importance placed on numbers. The Chinese deem the number four unlucky because it sounds a lot like the word ‘death’. They only differ in tone. Especially when a combination with others sounds like undesirable expressions; for example, “94” could be interpreted as being dead for a long time. So much so that Chinese buildings often lack a fourth floor (just as American buildings sometimes skip the thirteenth). On the flip side, the number eight is considered lucky and eighth-floor apartments in China have been known to fetch a higher market price.
Unlucky horseshoe
Just a load of superstitious nonsense?
Or should you really consider the property number when buying a house in the UK?
Homes numbered one are worth the most, and unlucky 13 are worth the least. Research shows that homes numbered 13 have the lowest average value out of every door number from one to 100. Deemed unlucky by some, properties with the number 13 on their door have average values of £354,793, around £5,000 less than the average of 10 million homes analysed numbered one to 100.
By contrast, properties with number one on their front door have the highest average value, coming in at £393,690, which, according to Rightmove, is £40,000 (or 11%) more than number 13s. Their research shows that the most valuable door numbers are 1 to 5, and the least valuable are 13, 23, 27, 73 and 57. This is evident and, therefore, common for new developments to skip the number 13, going from 12 straight to 14 to remove the element of superstition.
However, some argue if you are savvy, and I hasten to add one of those who believe the number 13 is lucky for some, then buying a house with the number 13 could be a wise buy, especially if you are looking to stay in the property for a while. And if you do buy a house with the number 13, you can always add a house name to the property. Although a complicated process, you may be surprised to know that a name attached to a property, particularly a unique one, can increase its value.
Signed,
Hannah, “Lucky for some” No. 13, Drake Drive, London