A door number made an unusual property-research subject in October 2023. Rightmove examined estate agents’ valuations for more than ten million properties across Great Britain and compared the results by numbers one to one hundred. Its headline finding was that number thirteen had the lowest average within that comparison.
The reported average for a number-thirteen property was £354,793, against £360,126 for the sample overall. The difference was a little over £5,000. The source connected the result with the familiar superstition surrounding thirteen, but an association in a large dataset does not establish why the difference arose.
The measure itself needs careful description. These were estate-agent valuation figures as reported by Rightmove, rather than a statement that every number-thirteen home had sold for less. An individual property’s layout, condition, size and location cannot be inferred from its door number alone.
The article also reported that number one had the highest average in its comparison. That contrast added interest, but it did not create a reliable formula for valuing neighbours on the same street. Homes carrying different numbers need not be otherwise identical, and the source’s headline averages did not remove all those differences.
Another observation concerned the distribution of numbers. Rightmove said there were almost twice as many properties numbered fourteen as thirteen in the data it discussed. Estate-agent commentary in the article suggested that some developments omit thirteen to avoid potential concerns among a small minority of buyers.
That explanation was a view from the industry, rather than proof that superstition determined every numbering decision. Nor did the research establish that seeking out a number-thirteen house would necessarily produce a bargain. A buyer would still need to compare the property with relevant alternatives and understand what was actually being offered.
This retrospective preserves a lighter historical housing story while keeping its limits visible. A large average can reveal an interesting pattern worth investigating, but it cannot replace a property-specific assessment. The October 2023 study is therefore better understood as a conversation about numbering and perception than a rule for negotiating a price today.