Why do we fear ghosts? Isn't it strange that we fear the dead more than the living? This is something that technology cannot help us play Ghostbusters with -- or, on second thought, maybe it can in a small way.

Housecreep is a website which got some attention over Halloween. It was launched in 2013 with the simple purpose of helping you make the right home purchase.

It evolved into something that can be your only defense against poltergeists -- by providing a bit of foreknowledge.

But first let's learn how "housecreep" can be an urban verb:

The act of housecreeping; to research and expose homes with secrets, criminal histories, and unexplained mysteries.

The site is a crowdsourced index of haunted properties around North America. You will get their intent as you start clicking a few links like Murder Houses Near Me and Haunted Houses Near Me. A Google Maps mashup plots all the stigmatized properties. At a glance, you can tell the areas you might want to avoid. The site indexes all real estate on the market that carry a questionable past. That includes houses that were centers of illegal activities like drugs and homicides.

The site verifies all claims as much as possible. Contributors have to attach at least one source to prove any record. Do probe your buying decisions as all reports may not be always accurate.

Yes, Housecreep can help you make a more educated decision. The crowdsourced information is also a good source if you fancy yourself as a ghost hunter. But bogeymen scare the wits out of me. I would much rather read the popular articles on the site and stoke my dread. Let the dead sleep.

But what about you? Try the site and tell us if the paranormal will make you change your house buying decisions.