The ultimate property buying checklist for the Hungry Ghost month

It’s quite amusing to think that, in secular Singapore, that an annual cultural practice can slow down an entire industry for a whole month. Yes, we’re talking about the how the Hungry Ghost Festival affects the property market in Singapore.

You see, according to Chinese folk legend, the gates of hell are open every seventh month in the lunar calendar, allowing spirits to roam the Earth freely (without needing to scan the SafeEntry QR code).

During this 29-day period, those who subscribe to the folk legend (in particular the older generation) believe that they’ll be on the receiving end of bad luck if they buy, sell or renovate a property. Some even believe that property viewing in the seventh month is taboo.

We’ve even heard a property agent who’s afraid to pick up calls from unknown numbers at night, during the 7th lunar month!

Why are there so many property no-nos during the Hungry Ghost month?

The simplest and most straightforward explanation for the aversion to anything property-related during the 7th lunar month is that embarking on any major changes in your life during this period will result in profound bad luck.

Some Chinese also say that moving in during the Hungry Ghost month is an invitation to spirits to do the same.

But there are certain ‘workarounds’ that believers have come up with. So if you are the superstitious type but can’t pass up a good real estate opportunity during the Hungry Ghost month, or you’re in urgent need of a roof under your head, here are some tips you can follow.

#1: View/handover the home in the daytime

This is especially important if the property in question is vacant. A vacant apartment gathers ‘yin‘ (or negative) energy fairly quickly, hence attracting spirits from the netherworld as they, too, are ‘yin‘ in nature.

The recommendation is to view or handover the property at the height of the day (about 1 PM in Singapore), when the ‘yang’ (or positive) energy is at its strongest. Of course, if you’re not superstitious, you can use a daytime viewing to suss out how hot the house can get during the day, and whether the ventilation in the house is any good.

When viewing a vacant property, get the (brave) agent to arrive before you do to switch on all the lights and fans, and open all the windows.

If the viewing has to happen at night (we recommend at least one night viewing before buying/renting a home), do the same thing along with #2.

Upon arriving at a vacant home, the visitor should also knock on the door or ring the doorbell before opening the main door. The rationale behind this is to give any spirit in the dwelling a heads-up to leave. Otherwise, they would have to endure the property agent’s non-stop spiel about asset appreciation.

If the house feels unusually cold even in the daytime, and the air-conditioning is not switched on, perhaps you might want to think twice about buying the house…

#2: Bring along a ‘lucky’ friend

If you have a friend who’s on a lucky streak, such as if they have recently got a job promotion or are on a hot streak in the stock market, ask them to come along to property viewings and signings.

Why? Because those who are enjoying a lucky streak are said to be strong in ‘yang’ energy, which can literally repel ghosts and spirits. Also, it’s good to have a second opinion when viewing property!

#3: Stand still at the centre of the house

The presence of spirits has been known to disrupt magnetic fields. One way for you to test whether the house is ‘clean’ is to stand in the centre of the house and just close your eyes for a minute.

When you’re doing this, avoid leaning against any wall, as walls are cooler and that’s where spirits prefer to hang around.

If you start to feel dizzy, then there might be something off about the magnetic field of the house, which is a sign that you might want to pass up on this property. Or maybe the briyani you had during lunch making its way out of you.

#4: Sign contracts on ‘good’ days

If you must put pen to paper during the seventh month, choose a date from the Chinese almanac that is good for transactions (交易).

Like viewing property, we suggest signing contracts in the daytime, even if you’re doing it in the lawyer’s office.

But if you’re buying a HDB flat, good luck trying to get HDB to shift your appointment to an auspicious date!

#5: Get the ball rolling before the Hungry Ghost month begins

So you’ve managed to complete the purchase of your property before the Hungry Ghost month. Good for you.

What about renovation? Yes, renovations are one of the things that the superstitious frown upon, when the gates of hell supposedly opens.

But fret not, there’s a commonly cited workaround that, as long as the first day of a renovation falls before the seventh month of the lunar calendar, then the home won’t suffer any ill effects of the Hungry Ghost month.

The rationale against starting renovation work during the seventh lunar month is slightly dubious. Doing so (especially in a previously vacant house) will annoy the spirits who have resided there when the gates of hell opened, and they might cause mischief and misfortune to the owner’s plans if they get intruded upon.

Looks like we’ve found the worst tenant ever, then.

Other things to note during the Hungry Ghost month:

• Avoid wearing red; the colour attracts spirits
• Avoid leaving an umbrella open inside the house; it may attract spirits to seek shelter
• Don’t leave clothes hanging overnight; it may attract spirits

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Buying a property during the Hungry Ghost month? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this article, check out Why Yishun is still the most terrifying place to live in Singapore and 7 things to avoid during the Hungry Ghost Festival.