Bay of Plenty home buyers superstitious about letterbox numbers

Josh Fitzgerald says learning how popular the house number 19 is makes him love his home even more. Photo/John Borren

Bay of Plenty buyers could be superstitious when it comes to letterbox numbers, according to new data.

In a recent study of Bay properties, conducted by Homes.co.nz, houses at number 13, notorious for bringing bad luck, attracted the lowest estimated median value of $585,000.

Homes.co.nz, which published sales histories and values, analysed the relationship between letterbox numbers and house values and found properties at number 13 had the lowest median value estimate for any number under 20.

The next lowest valued number was eight, followed by four. Number four was considered unlucky in Chinese culture because it sounded like the word for death. Numbers six, eight and nine were considered lucky.

The most valuable street number in the Bay of Plenty was 19, with a median estimated value of $658,000. The next most valuable numbers were 15 and one.

Ross Stanway, chief executive of Eves and Bayleys Real Estate, said any property-related superstitions he came across tended to be culturally driven.

Superstitions which influenced house buying seemed to be more relevant in Asian and South East Asian cultures rather than in the ''Kiwi'' culture, he said.

"I would imagine certainly in the Auckland market it's far more prevalent and probably quite real in terms of its impact."

Those cultural values might become more of a factor over time in the Bay of Plenty as the Chinese, Indian and Korean communities were growing in the wider Tauranga area, said Mr Stanway.

"It is quite interesting to work with those people and the groups of those people in terms of what their preferences are and I think that's a bit of a learning curve, too," said Mr Stanway.

"Certainly there are numbers, aren't there, within the Chinese community which are considered as lucky and unlucky and that would be a factor for some of them, that's for sure."

He said some buyers also considered street appeal and the configuration of a house.

He hadn't come across any New Zealanders who had been reluctant to buy a number 13.

"I think the house behind the number is what they want. That's what they're interested in," Mr Stanway said.

Homes.co.nz spokesman Jeremy O'Hanlon said the idea that a number on a letterbox could affect values was a little absurd, however, number 13 seemed to drive down values in certain regions.

"It's funny that Whangarei seems to buck the trend and value 13 higher than all but the number 12. While the Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay seem to have a real distaste for it".

"Perhaps it's worth hunting for the number 13 in your property search to grab a bargain."

Numerologist Michelle Byers, who has a number of clients in Tauranga, said she often received calls from people asking about house numbers.

She was keen to dispel the idea that living at number 13 would be a bad decision.

"Thirteen is actually a really neat number, it's very routine, organised," she said.

"13 would probably be a very stable home."

However, ''four'' houses, house numbers that when added together totalled four, could attract water problems.

The number 19 was the karmic bed of power.

However, under 19 things could control you - like the mortgage.

"15 is the family home, it's unconditional love," she said.

The number eight related to money, a great place to live if you work from home.

SUPERSTITIONS

The number on the letterbox was the last thing on Glenn Willoughby's mind when he and wife Amy snapped up a property bargain in Katikati four years ago.

The Willoughbys' new home had been neglected for some time but a lick of paint, a new roof and a good clean and it is now worth far more than they paid.

"In my opinion it's probably one of the best houses on the street but it wasn't when we bought it," Mr Willoughby said.

Josh Fitzgerald says learning how popular the house number 19 is makes him love his home even more. Photo/John Borren

He was superstitious but not when it came to numbers.

"I'm superstitious, but not about the number 13."

The avid darts player always wears the same ''lucky'' shirt to play darts and was known to wear the same ''lucky'' pair of underwear playing sports as a student.

"At the same time I know it's a load of baloney but I still do it," he said.

Local restaurateur Josh Fitzgerald was very happy to hear homes like his at number 19 in Mount Maunganui attracted the highest median price across the Bay of Plenty.

Mr Fitzgerald said he understood why some buyers might avoid the number 13 but was surprised other numbers could attract a positive connotation.

He and wife Paloma gave absolutely no thought to the number of their new home.

"It's a good house and now that I know it's the most popular number, I love it," he said.