Religious goods stores have been doing a record business in St. Joseph statues. Buried in the garden of a home for sale, the doll allegedly helps the house to find a buyer.
Here is more information. One seller said:
Some find the notion of magic house sales distasteful. “If you just
bury the statue in the ground, you’re not going to sell your home,”
said Gerard Siccardi, whose family runs a religious-goods business in
White Plains. “You’re supposed to pray. You’re supposed to have some
reverence about this. It’s a faith-based item.”
I wonder where this practice began; I first learned of it from a friend’s mother who was selling residential properties in Southern California back in the early 1990s. Back then, the statuettes were being used by the real estate agents, not the homeowners. I remember stories of agents throwing poor ol’ St. Joe over a hedge or into a swimming pool, to sneak him onto the property to be sold . . . .
Or, you know, you could just list it at the market-clearing price, instead of “what you paid for it.” That helps, too.
Love the righteous anger of the seller toward people using St. Joe improperly. I wonder if he’s going to start asking people if they plan on following the directions (I’m assuming the statues come with them), and if not, refusing to sell?
My parents did this years ago when they sold their house (their statue was nowhere near as nice as the one in the NYT article). I know this because when they eventually sold the house, they dug him up and brought him with them to their new house.
Last I saw, he was in sitting the garage next to the rakes and bug killer. I wonder if he provides any residual benefits to the new house?
I am far from an expert on Catholic iconography, but I do believe St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes.
So, if you are looking for investment ideas ahead of the curve, I think St. Jude is where it’s at. St. Jude medallions may well be the next “must have” for desparate home seller.
Nope. I won’t charge you a dime. Take my advice and be happy!
I have a small collection of religious medallions they are old and in excellent condition.How can I find out the value.
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