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Ok, so my friend and her hubby are looking for their first home together. They've been looking for a long, long, long time! lots of declined offers, and "oh-so-close" moments, but they just can't seem to make it happen!
She calls me today to say they found their dream home, for a complete steal! Truely, this home is worth at LEAST $75,000 more than asking price. (as determined by neighboring homes)
What's the catch? Ohhh, just a double murder/suicide. Husband caught wife cheating, came home, beat/stabbed wife and boyfriend to death and then shot himself.
My friend said "but don't worry virginia---there's all new carpeting!"
Hmm...new carpet is fun, but not enough for me to ever live there. Thoughts?
Yikes.
Part of me says no way, but a (slightly larger) part of me says that all houses want to be homes and there's no such thing as ghosts.
NO. WAY.
I could never! NEVER! I would have NIGHTMARES! I couldn't even walk into the house... seriously, that's crazy.
I personally could never live in such a place. I'm very freaked out by blood, gore and death in general. Personally, I don't think its worth saving $75,000 but hey if she's ok with it then she should take it!
Eek! On one hand, I like the idea of turning something tragic into new energy/new life; I mean it would be nice, karmically, to have a house like that and then fill it with light and happiness.
On the other hand, I keep thinking of Amityville. If I were in the market for a house in this economy, I might be inclined to push those thoughts away! I don't know.
Heck no! Though it would be tempting at such a good price, I think I'd develop a fear of the dark. I might watch too many horror movies but it never turns out well for the new occupants in them so I'd pass! Silly horror movie cliches aside, its something that would always be present in my mind, how horrible.
I could. The house didn't murder anyone, it was a person, and he is dead, so he isn't coming back. I don't believe in ghosts or anything, and I would pretty much do anything for a deal when it comes to real estate!
I don't know. I do somewhat believe in ghosts so I would be hesitant in things living somewhere like that.
But then again, what happens if you bought a house that a murder happened in it 10 or 20 years ago. The previous owners definitely wouldn't have to disclose that information. You honestly probably wouldn't have known until you found out about it.
Sometimes it better that I not know about that kind of stuff.
Definitely not. But I think it's a personal choice, so I wouldn't judge someone for doing it...just wouldn't come over their house at night :)
haha I just thought of Amityville too! I got really scared with that movie...it depends on if she is ok wiht that...i know that some people are afraid of ghosts/bad karma...and they would never live there...but if she can just think that a house is a house and thats that...then it would be fine...I think I would be a little nervous...and i dont believe in ghosts and supernatural stuff.
Yeah, I could. I can be freakishly practical, and $75,000 is totally enough to bring out the practical side in me.
Nope, my imagination would get the best of me! I would have to sleep with the lights on every night, lol!
I'm with ddubzz. It's totally an imagination thing, but, knowing would just CONSTENTLY freak me out.
I couldn't.
Three years before I moved here, there was a murder at the apartment complex in which I now live. It actually made the national news, and the college said little about it at the time.
The "model" apartment happened to be the murdered girl's apartment, and it creeped me out just walking in because I knew it was her apartment.
This past year, they decided to change model apartments... figuring everyone that knew about the murder was about to graduate or had graduated. I really lost respect for whomever made that choice. There's no reason it couldn't have stayed a model apartment and that anyone should ever have to worry again (it was kind of opportunistic because of the way that building is designed).
ugh.
Yeah, no. it's tempting but I know it's all that I would think about after moving in.
I would wonder if the resale value will be impacted too - if they get a steal, will future buyers also want a deal? If so then it doesn't seem like a great value to me (unless they plan to stay in the house for 30 years!)
Would a natural death make a difference? Years ago our ancient neighbor passed away at home and it weirded me out, but I guess I felt differently about it knowing that it was of natural causes.
I would!!
I am a claims adjuster and I deal with tons of murder/suicide/old age death claims. There's nothing wrong with the houses after they're completely refurbished!
I also think the history would make interesting dinner conversation.
Okay - Here comes Girl Real Estate to give her non-professional opinion... 
In the RE world, we learn about disclosure. What an agent does and does not tell her clients is completely regulated by state law. While in a technical sense, a home where a murder (or other crime) has a occurred does not usually have a tangible loss in value, many of these homes simply do not sell well, regardless of the market value. It's refered to as a 'stigmatized property' - and can wreck havoc when placed on the market. While your friend may feel comfortable buying the property and living there, many others (as evidenced even here in this post) would not. Thus the term coined here to refer to something that has no latent defect but still reflects an atypical lowered value when sold.
I don't know what area she is in, but right now in the Seattle market, homes are reduced by close to that much without any attached issues such as a murder. Is the lowered listing of $75k remarkably different than the reduction in other homes on the market due to the economy? If so, great deal for them - but if not? Strange and should be considered.
What also needs to be considered is disclosure. In some states, you might be required by law to tell anyone interested in the home of the past history. When they go to sell this home, they will have to tell prospective buyers about the crime committed. Stigmatized homes sell to a smaller market of buyers, reducing your ability for profits in the future.
So from an investment point of view? I wouldn't touch a stigmatized property with a ten foot pole.
On a personal level, if they can deal with the 'creepy factor' and aren't worried about future profit, go for it. Going to be a tiny mortgage!
Personally, I could never.
Something similar happened in a house near my high school like 15 years ago. A new family moved in years later. I always wondered if they knew?? If I knew, I couldn't live there.
@Janna - I touched on your comments and questions - and even after 30 years, they might have to disclose the crime to buyers. On the flip side of that, laws also change - so if there is no law in their state about disclosing crimes and one was later passed, they may put themselves at risk of being required to disclose later.
WOW, I sound like an attorney today!
Natural death would be a different story for me. It's not about the ghosts or the supernatural effects on the home. It's about walking into the bedroom and replaying that scene.. It would just creep me out. Natural death is just though, natural. it's not brutal raging crime, it's just part of life. a double murder/suicide... not natural.
Hell to the Naw!!! That's like living next door to a cemetary. Couldn't do that either.
I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself in my home, especially in the room it occurred. Natural deaths would not bother me because that's a part of life.
def not. Easy decision, I dont care what the price or situation was, if someone died in a house I was interested in I would turn and walk straight out the front door and never look back.
I don't think I could! I was watching house hunters the other day and the couple was looking at buying a house that was a funeral home once!!! Both FI and I said NNNNOOOO thank you!
I can honestly say it wouldn't bother me one bit. Actually, R's parents' house was the site of a really grizzly suicide on a wedding day. I just don't get the aversion to it... living in an apartment building that was about 90 years old last year, I'm sure it had a history - but it didn't even cross my mind. Maybe it's because I don't believe in anything paranormal or afterlife related as of right now? I don't know, but I seem to be in the minority on this one! Am I the only one who wouldn't think twice about it?
Nope couldn't do it. I do believe in ghosts & I would be worried that they would still be there to deal with their "unfinished business".
@ msmonicka
In law school I had a buddy who lived in a house all three years that was surrounded on two sides by a cemetery, and deaf woman on the third. It was the official party house for my class, we even had live bands play at parties.
So, there is an upside to everything. 
One ofmy friends (husband and wife) found a crazy deal for a place next door to a cemetary. They loved it anyways- just got it charmed with a "little ceremony" first and they felt better.
@ Monita--LOL. Ironically enough, this is the couple who throws a bangin halloween party every year. Possibly not the most respectful thing in regard to the poor people who lost their lives, but it should would spice things up next fall!
ABSOLUTELY NOT! No way. I just couldn't.
Logically, I know it's just a house and that the house didn't do anything wrong. However, I'm such a paranoid person that I know myself well enough to know I'd just lie awake in bed at night and think about it. And don't even get me started on how crazy I'd go if DH was out of town- I'd totally freak out!
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