Black Cats Don't Kill Deals. Skipping the Inspection Does.

Real estate services provided through DeLex Realty.

Photo: "House number 13 written as 12+1," Apeldoorn, Netherlands, by Apdency (public domain).

Friday the 13th is here, and I have good news for Arizona buyers and sellers: a black cat on the walkway will not jinx your closing. Skipping the inspection might.

Every year around this date, someone asks me if they should wait to list, skip a house numbered 13, or maybe bury a little statue in the backyard. I love a good tradition. I also love a home that inspects well, appraises, and actually fits your budget.

So let's have some fun with the folklore. Then let's talk about the stuff that can actually haunt a deal.

Some buildings really do skip the 13th floor

This one is true. Many high-rises jump from 12 to 14 on the elevator panel. The floor is still there. They just gave it a new name, like 12A, 14, or "M."

A 2007 Gallup poll found that 13% of Americans would be bothered staying on a hotel's 13th floor. (Yes, the number is almost too perfect.) In New York City, researchers found that only about 13.5% of condo buildings taller than 13 stories even labeled a 13th-floor address.

Here in the Valley, most of us are shopping for a house with a driveway, not a penthouse button. Superstition is real enough that some people make decisions around it. You don't have to.

What about a house numbered 13?

You'll hear that homes at number 13 sell for less or sit longer. Headlines love that story. The research is mixed. Some UK reports have shown lower average valuations for number 13, but later studies found a lot of that gap was about the homes themselves, not the digits on the door. A U.S. study in Ohio found no price difference at all.

So if you find a great house at 13 Saguaro Lane, do not walk away because of the mailbox. Look at the roof, the air conditioner, the layout, and the neighborhood. Those are the numbers that matter.

The St. Joseph statue, and other backyard folklore

Some sellers still bury a St. Joseph statue upside down in the yard, a custom that's been around in the United States for decades. If that's meaningful to you, I respect it. I'm not here to argue with anyone's faith or family tradition.

Just don't skip the unglamorous stuff while you're out there with a trowel. Price the home right. Stage it. Fix the drip in the hall bath. In Arizona, a tired air conditioner will scare off more buyers than a black cat ever will. A broken mirror is seven years of stories. A broken AC in July is a deal killer this week.

The actually scary stuff (please don't do these)

Skipping the inspection. Even if the home looks perfect. Even if it's brand new. Even if the photos could be in a magazine. An inspection is how you find the things you can't see: a tired roof, an electrical surprise, a pool leak, or an AC that's on its last summer. It is one of the best investments in the whole process. This goes for a first home in Mesa and a beautiful house in North Scottsdale. A pretty listing is not a lucky charm.

Making an offer with no pre-approval. Shopping without a pre-approval is like going to the store with no wallet and a very hopeful attitude. Sellers take pre-approved buyers seriously. You'll also know your real budget before you fall in love with a house you can't comfortably afford.

Ignoring the HOA documents. I know. It's a thick packet. It is not beach reading. Read it anyway, or have someone help you go through it. You want to know the fees, the rules, and any upcoming assessments before you're committed. "I didn't know I couldn't park the truck" is a painful sentence after closing.

Waiving the appraisal, or stretching past what the home is worth. In a competitive market, some buyers feel pressure to waive protections just to win. That's when people get hurt. If a home doesn't appraise, you can end up scrambling for extra cash or watching the deal fall apart. Let's talk strategy that keeps you competitive and protected. You do not have to throw out every safety net to get a house.

A lucky Friday, on purpose

You don't need luck to buy or sell a home in Arizona. You need a plan: talk to a lender, get clear on your must-haves, walk the property carefully, and have someone in your corner who answers the phone.

If you want to write an offer on Friday the 13th, I'm in. I'll bring the checklist. You can bring the lucky socks. Both are welcome. Only one of them will hold up in escrow.

The bottom line

Friday the 13th is a fun day for stories. The unlucky moves in real estate are skipping the steps that protect you. Take those steps, and this can be a perfectly ordinary, perfectly good day to make a smart decision.

Easy question: do you have a house-hunting superstition or a moving-in tradition? Bread and salt, a lucky plant, letting the dog pick a bedroom? Tell me in the comments. I read every one.

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Tina Marie Miller, REALTOR® | Loving AZ Homes | DeLex Realty. Real estate services provided through DeLex Realty. Equal Housing Opportunity. Information is general and not legal, tax, or lending advice.