Superstitions have made their own place in our culture. While some rationalists don't believe in what-they-would-call "mumbo-jumbo", most of us hold some beliefs that are associated with good and bad luck.
According to several reports, real estate transactions were barely conducted Friday, Sep 13 as it is considered bad luck. The rare occasion (rather doomsday) of a Friday arriving on the Thirteenth day of a month made it super inauspicious. Many people decided against going to work or even taking a flight.
But what exactly makes the day so unlucky?
The folks at National Geographic explain why the fear of Friday the 13th is so prevalent in Western countries. The origin of this superstition (like many other beliefs) is rooted in religion. The number of people sitting at the table in the "Last Supper" was thirteen and Judas, the traitor was the thirteenth person. Also, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist at the University of Delaware, Newark, explains that the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12. Number 12 is considered balanced and equal, e.g. the number of months, the number of zodiacs, the gods of Olympus etc. Therefore, the number immediately after 12 is considered inauspicious.
The impact of the belief is crippling. Businesses rake in losses, stocks take a hit and it is usually a dark day.
There are some beliefs associated with home and the property business too. In a recent feature, the Wall Street Journal took a trip around Brooklyn and Manhattan to find that less than 5 percent of the residential complexes have a designated thirteenth floor!
Some other Bad luck beliefs are:
- Moving an old broom into the house is considered unlucky as it brings in the bad luck of the previous house.
-The number 4 in an address is considered bad luck, especially if it is engraved on the letterbox as the word "four" sounds a lot like the word "death" in Mandarin and Cantonese.
-The number 8, 0 or 5 is considered good luck in Chinese and Philippine folklore. So having a home listed with eights and zeroes in the price is super lucky.
-Burying a statue of St. Joseph's in the yard will help sell the home faster and at a great price as the saint is the patron of real estate!
The beliefs don't stop at the sellers or buyers alone. Brokers have their superstitions too.
"Many agents will not discuss a deal ... with me because they feel it will jinx the deal [if it's in the press before it closes]. I also know that many agents say Asian customers are superstitious about the direction an apartment faces and certain numbers, particularly the number 4. From a PR perspective, I never tell a client a clip is definitely happening until it appears. I learned the hard way that stories get bumped all the time. I feel like if I mention it, I'll jinx it," Kelly Kreth, president of Kreth Communications, a PR Firm, said to the Real Deal.
While one inauspicious day has passed, the next "Friday, the 13th" shall arrive December 2013. Until then, we hope to gather all the luck in the world to fight that day.