Saint Joseph Statues and Real Estate Sales

Everyone’s heard about the Saint Joseph statue helping to get your house sold quicker, right?  It’s funny, but I get asked about this on a fairly regular basis.  So if you’re curious, about the Saint Joseph statue story and selling your house, read on.

Joseph, the husband of Mary and the father (or perhaps step-father) of Jesus – there’s that immaculate conception thing – is said to be the patron saint of family, home and yes, house-hunting.  That’s why his statue gets buried.  In some cases, Saint Jude – the patron saint of lost causes – might be more appropriate, but this post is about Saint Joseph.

But how to bury the statue?  Most accounts agree that the statue should be buried upside down.  Why? It’s believed that the statue will work extra hard to get out of the ground and back into the house, making it sell quicker.  Popular locations are: 1) next to the ‘For Sale’ sign; 2) burying it 3 feet from the back of the house; 3) burying it as close to the front door as possible.

Some say that the statue should be facing away from the house, others maintain that it should face the house you’re trying to sell.  There’s also a contingent that swear that the upside down figure should face the direction in which you want to move.  And once the home sells, the statue should be dug up. Many find a place of honor for it in their new home.

My recommendation?  If you decide to do this, bury the Saint Joseph statue upside down, facing the house, within three feet of the foundation.  Bury it deep enough to totally cover it, and have a few inches of soil above it. That location should keep it a flower bed, with easy to work soil, and also make it easy to find after the sale, especially if you line it up with a window frame, outdoor spigot, or some other such landmark.

And there are also house-selling prayers to Saint Joseph that people believe will make the difference. 

Even if you’re not Catholic, don’t let that put you off!  There are accounts from many, including a woman of Jewish heritage who practices Buddhism, and even atheists, that say this has worked for them, too.  There are plenty of stories of real estate agents covertly burying a Saint Joseph statue to help along a tough sale, as well. 

Do you have a Saint Joseph story about a home sale that you want to share?  Leave it in the remarks section of this blog.

courtesy of Sira Anamwong/freedigitalphotos.net