Would you buy a house that..

mammersoh

For those of you on mobile and can't see the title, would you buy a house that a tragic death or murder took place in? I read an article this morning about a woman who is suing the previous home owner, and real estate agent for not telling her a prior owner had killed his wife and then himself. She only found out after she purchased the home because a neighbor told her.

Apparently it isn't a law in PA that something like that needs to be revealed and now she is at the Supreme Court level with her appeals.

Here is the article, sorry not a clicky.
https://news.yahoo.com/pahomeownersuesselleroverhomesbloodypast210734556abcnewsmoney.html

NotSharknado

Well if it's not the law to tell them about it I don't see how she has a case. As for me? No effing way would I buy a death house. I don't care if they were giving it away.

KJmashup

Probably so, as long as there is no leftover evidence. I don't believe in hauntings or anything like that, which may greatly influence my choice.

LaylaPartDeux

Not a chance. No way, no how.

KJmashup

EllaHella:

Also, ridiculous lawsuit.  I would only be pissed that I didn't know so that I could negotiate a better price since it skeeves other buyers but not me.

Exactly this. 

RayRay007

If it was a great house/price, I'd consider it.

RondackHiker

For the people saying no, can you say why?

I think it'd depend on the crime. I might have issues thinking about child death, but I don't think most crimes would stop me from buying a house.

Assuming, of course, that it's in a safe area and it was a "freak" crime.

Eleventy11

I would not but a house, but I would think there would certainly be clues before you buy. I can't imagine that the house was at or above market value with a history like that. There are reasons houses sit on the market for a while and have reduced prices. It's not always a homicide, but there is usually a story...especially several years ago before the market crash.

The Nap Taker

Have you not seen AHS?

No. I don't want that creepy baby in the basement to eat me. 

 

shadypines

My only concern would be was it cleaned up properly after the murder/suicide. health reasons would be my only concern.

juniper19

KJmashup:

EllaHella:

Also, ridiculous lawsuit.  I would only be pissed that I didn't know so that I could negotiate a better price since it skeeves other buyers but not me.

Exactly this. 

Me too.

missyishere

I believe most states are similar in saying that type of information doesn't have to be disclosed if it's under an estate. It's courteous but not necessary. I researched the crap out of our home before purchase, and I'd like to think I would have discovered that type of news before anyone told me. I would use it as leverage for a lower buying price. I don't believe in ghosts, but it might weird me out a little depending on the crime.

greeneyed_bride

I have no logical reason for this whatsoever, but I don't think I would. It would just weird me out. 

jorkz821

No I wouldn't. That creeps me out and I would hear every single little sound in that house.

shadypines

EllaHella:

Manneek1977:

My only concern would be was it cleaned up properly after the murder/suicide. health reasons would be my only concern.

Like what are you afraid of catching?

The heebie jeebies!

sarcasm was for my OP

greeneyed_bride

AshPal61:

Something similar happened to a neighbor of ours.  Two houses down, the husband was abusive to his wife and one day he pushed her down the stairs and she died.

Someone else bought the house, and didn't know of that story until she was chatting with the neighbors and someone accidentally referred to the "dead lady's house"

Ok, this is my new reason that I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't want all of my neighbors to think of my house that way. It's already kind of annoying that we've lived in our house for eight months and everyone in the neighborhood still says that we "live in the Smith's house." But at least everyone only has good memories of the previous owners of our home.

KJmashup

I Heart The 80s:

For some reason, I don't think it would bother me. As long as the crew from Sunshine Cleaning came and took care of it!

LOL! Good one. 

seahorse102410

No I wouldn't.  I guess I am just weird.

colliebabe

The Nap Taker:

Have you not seen AHS?

No. I don't want that creepy baby in the basement to eat me. 

 

Yeah but Tate though!

old_time_girl

When we were selling our house, someone called about it and asked how old the house was. 1901, "Oh, well I'm not interested in older house that has ghosts"
My house does not have ghosts, but thanks for calling anyway.

That said, if there was a murder or tragic death, i might not be interested in the house... that's just kind of creepy. But it's not something i would ask right away...what i don't know won't hurt me right?

greeneyed_bride

old_time_girl:

When we were selling our house, someone called about it and asked how old the house was. 1901, "Oh, well I'm not interested in older house that has ghosts" My house does not have ghosts, but thanks for calling anyway.  

That is incredibly weird. You should've said, "Oh, all of our ghosts are very friendly." 

mom2pottamus

Are we talking about a house that someone passed away in as well?

If it was a tragic death I would think twice, residual bad energy and all...

ridesbuttons

AshPal61:

that article has some really funny comments.

here's a couple of my faves:

And the agents would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those meddling kids...and that dog

$450,000-$610.000? Someone made a killing.

I feel her pain. I once bought a house and found out on moving day that the whole neighborhood was infested with...(sob)...LAWYERS

NotSharknado

I believe in ghosts so that's why I wouldn't. I would be scared all the time. It wouldn't be good for my sanity.

NotSharknado

Remember the ghost story thread? That was fun.

Helenahhandbasket

Good gravy, no way.

But, I DO believe in spooks.

mammersoh

I'll admit I would never do it, I don't care how good of a price the house is at. But I was also the kid that wouldn't even dog sit for a neighbor because the previous owner of the house committed suicide in the basement.

I think the lady suing is just kicking herself for not taking two seconds to google it. The article does say the murder happened in her master bedroom too. Poor thing lol.

Kaydfry2411

Heck No, I have horrible nightmares anyways. Plus I get totally freaked out by the littlest things!
That being said, my house was built in the 1840's I'm sure that someone has died here through the years but as long as I don't know it don't bother me! Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

ridesbuttons

Think of all of the homes that have been bought and sold where behind closed doors there was domestic abuse and child abuse and sexual abuse.

Lady doesn't have a leg to stand on.

melody921

shanado:

Well if it's not the law to tell them about it I don't see how she has a case. As for me? No effing way would I buy a death house. I don't care if they were giving it away.

This. I don't see that she has a case. But I wouldn't be comfortable buying a house if I knew it had a bad history.

Littledeer84

If the house had been cleaned and renovated as needed, I don't think I would have a problem with it. A similar thing happened on our street, it was really sad and awful. A few years ago the owner killed himself. Two weeks later it snowed a lot and the neighbors noticed he didnt shovel and called the police. Turns out he had 2 dogs who had to resort to eating him to get by! Awful awful. The house was empty for 2 years, but was flipped recently. We do refer to the house as the "dead guy's house" even though new people moved in.

klondikebar

I'd want to know since it could impact resale, but it wouldn't bother me to live there.

ammare

CTGirl30:

I would not. And I say that because I believe in residual energy in places. You know when you walk into a place and you can just feel the good or bad energy...(or is that just me?)  I feel like I'd be way more sensitive to that stuff so no thank you.

I know exactly what you mean and this is how I feel about it.  It's not that I believe in ghosts, but I do believe the bad energy can still be there and I don't want to live in that.

lrn327

No way!

msdrdg

Well, I bought a house knowing full well that the previous tenants were drug dealers and dog abusers.  What I found out after the fact was that the owner before them died in the house, in my bedroom.  It is also across the street from a grave yard.

O-well.

Anyway, the people we were buying it from were being major d!cks (shocker) so our attorney added 4 pages of legal mumbo jumbo to the P&S and one of the clauses was that the previous owner agrees that "the house is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be encumbered by any spirits or other poltergeist".  

KJmashup

Someone was shot and killed in my favorite restaurant in the 1970s. I still go there as often as I can. I hear ghost stories about the place, but I've never witnessed anything except cheesy, delicious cheese fries.

lildevil968

This has actually kept DH and I from buying 2 houses, so my answer is no I wouldn't. Iam so glad I live in a state where all information has to be disclosed to the buyer.

[Deleted User]

I would want to know because it would would hopefully help me get a better deal.  If the pool of potential buyers is a lot smaller because people don't want to buy a house with that history, I want that reflected in the price.

However, as a rule, unless the crime somehow affects the safety of the property, I don't think it should have to be disclosed.  Superstition is irrational hooey and shouldn't have to be legally catered to.

I agree with Hilarity though in that I wouldn't want to buy a house where a notorious crime happened, for fear of dealing with pilgrims or vandals.

LoveBeingAWife33008

nope.

shibby00

If I loved it, of course. Our current house was built in 1887, the first owner died in it, it's been an insane asylum, an old folks home, a home for Vietnam vets, and vacant. So what? It's a great house!

gnomemom

That would not deter me at all. In fact, we would use that to negotiate a better deal. Bonus points if it's supposedly haunted. DH and I aren't superstitious at all, so we'd totally use that to our advantage if we could.