By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

In a tough real estate market, sellers look for every bit of help to sell their houses—from hiring a professional cleaner to making repairs to even staging their house.

But a centuries-old tradition of burying a statue of St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpentry and the earthly father of Jesus, in the front yard remains one of the most tried and true ways to ensure your home will sell.

Many think it works because of St. Joseph’s tie to homes as a carpenter, or  how St. Joseph and Mary searched for shelter on the first Christmas night.

“I’ve seen it work dozens of times,” says Maris Grove Retirement Counselor Pam Matschat. “We have residents who are just waiting for their homes to sell, and as soon as they bury a statue it seems to happen!”

Proven results
“It was definitely the reason we sold our house,” Maris Grove resident Johanne Peters says. “Without a doubt in my mind, it was the reason.”

She and her husband Gus had their home for sale for close to four months with almost no luck. “We were losing patience,” she says. “We had always heard the legend and thought we might as well give it a try.”

Peters says she went to a religious bookstore and purchased a small statue. After burying it in their front yard, something happened. “Sure enough, as soon as we planted it we started to get some interest, and a month later it sold.”

Directions may vary
The details of the ritual vary depending on whom you talk to.

Peters says she buried hers in a hole in the front yard, upside down, with the feet facing the house. Others say the backyard is the key to a quick home sale. Still others feel burying the statue next to the “for sale” sign works best. 

“We’ve even had condominium owners bury them in flower pots,” Matschat says. “But most homeowners bury the saint, then make a devotion to the saint, and  that does the trick,” she explains.