Would you be too scared to buy a house where you know someone died?

[Sylvanfan]

So, my boss was out looking at some places yesterday and he tells me about one I should check out. It's a very nice piece of land about 11,000 square feet just outside the town of Osoyoos with a walkout basement and a Lake view. Directly below you is a vinyard so you'll always have a nice look at the lake and due to where it is the taxes are about 70% of what a similar place inside the town would be. Still it's maybe 2km from the main drag in town so it's not out of the way at all. The house is about 30 years old and has been completely re-done and the guy has done a very nice job, the work looks good, it's not some amateur hacks weekend project. Didn't cheap out either, higher end wood, granite, good tile etc for finishing. The place seems to be priced very well given the market here.

The catch....someone was shot in the house about 25 years ago. A party with a bunch of teen agers drinking and one gets the idea to start playing with a gun. Surprise, surprise someone ends up getting shot there apparently by accident and eventually died.

Question is, do you take the approach that this was a freak event that happened 20+ years ago and that the value on this place is too good. Or are you scared of ghosts or whatever and say I don't care if they give it to me, I want nothing to do with it. Me, I'd buy it land like this is in scarce supply here and it's a fantastic spot. My wife...she says never living somewhere that someone has died.

[troutman]

We've done a few sales where messy suicides had taken place. Realtors have to disclose the unusual circumstances. The homes sell, but I imagine the price drops below market value.

[FireFly]

Did the guy die IN the house? Cause I think that would be the deal breaker.

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

So, my boss was out looking at some places yesterday and he tells me about one I should check out. It's a very nice piece of land about 11,000 square feet just outside the town of Osoyoos with a walkout basement and a Lake view. Directly below you is a vinyard so you'll always have a nice look at the lake and due to where it is the taxes are about 70% of what a similar place inside the town would be. Still it's maybe 2km from the main drag in town so it's not out of the way at all. The house is about 30 years old and has been completely re-done and the guy has done a very nice job, the work looks good, it's not some amateur hacks weekend project. Didn't cheap out either, higher end wood, granite, good tile etc for finishing. The place seems to be priced very well given the market here.

The catch....someone was shot in the house about 25 years ago. A party with a bunch of teen agers drinking and one gets the idea to start playing with a gun. Surprise, surprise someone ends up getting shot there apparently by accident and eventually died.

Question is, do you take the approach that this was a freak event that happened 20+ years ago and that the value on this place is too good. Or are you scared of ghosts or whatever and say I don't care if they give it to me, I want nothing to do with it. Me, I'd buy it land like this is in scarce supply here and it's a fantastic spot. My wife...she says never living somewhere that someone has died.

I'd buy it if it happened two months ago, as long as it's all cleaned up...
I am not superstitious. I would just tell the neighbours I didn't know about it, because otherwise they might think I was creepy for not caring... Why are people so hung up with the death of someone they didn't even know. I grant you, I might feel differently if it was a person known to me, or if it was some particularly grisly crime with details out in public.

[Boblobla]

As someone who doesn't believe in ghosts where do I sign?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

someone ends up getting shot there apparently by accident and eventually died.

For me it would be how long it took the kid to die. Meaning if he was shot in the house, lost consciousness, was taken to the hospital but dies that night; never waking up- I would say no. But if he hung on for a few days and woke up in the hospital and said good-bye; then maybe.

Mind you I am a little more cautious as I live with a boogey-man in my basement.

[Locke]

Absolutely not. You're getting a killer deal, haggle the price down as low as you can until the purchase price is murder and then pull the trigger on the deal.

Hell, I'd ask them to leave the blood on the walls for decoration.

[onetwo_threefour]

Hey troutman, do you really advise Realtors that they must disclose those? My view is that it only needs to be dicsosed if it creates some sort of health risk or is otherwise classifiable as a latent defect. I generally tell Realtors that they shouldn't lie if asked about it, but they are not under an obligation to disclose it otherwise....



Anybody interested in hearing a story along these lines, with the names changed to protect the innocent? (Actually I don't even remember the names, and it turns out everyone was innocent although it didn't look like it at first.)

My grandfather passed away 2 months ago and my aunt has been looking after the place until everything goes through probate. When she goes over to the house she brings my granpa's dog Lucky to the house while she does the gardening and stuff. The dog refuses to go into the house and just looks at my aunt with sad eyes...

So you can't tell me that some kind of spirit/energy is still there... make sure your animals will go into the house before you buy it!

[Gozer]

Every house has had someone who eventually died inside it.

Total non-factor, to me anyway.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Did the guy die IN the house? Cause I think that would be the deal breaker.

Why does this matter?

Originally Posted by Boblobla

As someone who doesn't believe in ghosts where do I sign?

Exactly.

I guess it's hard for me to understand the reasoning when people are afraid because a "ghost" might haunt them at night, or show up in the reflection of a mirror in the washroom.

Use the incident as an excuse and get the guy to drop the price even more Syl... then snap it up. Great opportunity.

[Russic]

The very first thing I would consider is the price drop. In fact if I could, I would seek out houses that had bad events happen in them just to save some coin.

Absolutely not. You're getting a killer deal, haggle the price down as low as you can until the purchase price is murder and then pull the trigger on the deal.

and I laughed really hard at this.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Hey troutman, do you really advise Realtors that they must disclose those? My view is that it only needs to be dicsosed if it creates some sort of health risk or is otherwise classifiable as a latent defect. I generally tell Realtors that they shouldn't lie if asked about it, but they are not under an obligation to disclose it otherwise....

I think realtors are obliged to do this by their code of professional conduct.

http://www.reca.ca/

I don't know if the vendors would have a problem if they failed to disclose something like this - could be viewed as a substantial misrepresentation.

Stigmatized Properties:

http://www.reca.ca/consumer_informat...properties.htm

[Ford Prefect]

People die in their homes all the time from non-violent causes, so what's the big deal about a violent death? I'd leverage that to the max and walk away with a dream home at a bargain price. Besides, who knows what happened in the past. We found arrowheads in my parents' farm yard, so it's quite possible a few natives came to a violent end there at some point in history. That sort of thing could happen anywhere.

The only thing along that line that would bother me is a cemetery. We looked at a couple acreages a while back that were across the road from rural cemeteries, and the the cemeteries were definitely deal breakers. Ghosts or no ghosts, cemeteries are just too depressing to have to look at out your front window everyday.

[Cowboy89]

This is an interesting discussion. I know that the supernatural and superstitions don't exist and are rather figments of the imagination but knowing something like that about a house I was to occupy could lead my imagination running wild.

[GirlySports]

Doesn't it matter HOW the person died?
I thought ghosts only stuck around if they was a 'wrong' committed and stay until justice is served.

In Asian cultures (or Taoism, Buddhism anyways) there is a 7 week ceremony after a person's death to send their spirit away.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

So you can't tell me that some kind of spirit/energy is still there... make sure your animals will go into the house before you buy it!

Sure I can, the dog is lonely and knows there is something wrong. The dog DOES NOT sense the boogyman in the closet...

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think realtors are obliged to do this their by their code of professional conduct.

I don't know if the vendors would have a problem if they failed to disclose something like this - could be viewed as a substantial misrepresentation.

Interesting, I guess I balance out the fiduciary responsibility of the agent to their client against the code of coonduct and balance things a little differently from you. Strangely, I always consider myself fairly risk -conscious in my advice. I worry for the the Realtor who insists to his client that it MUST be disclosed, when there is no direct case law to support that position. Meanwhile, the Seller takes the hit on the price for something over which he has no control, and which arguably has nothing to do with the quality of the property being sold.

(Sorry to the board for going OT, but I always find these balancing acts fascinating)

[troutman]

http://www.reca.ca/consumer_informat...properties.htm

Consumers may have other areas of concern that would cause them to avoid a property. Certain events may cause a property to be described as a “stigmatized property.” This term is sometimes applied to a property that has had some circumstance occur in or near it, but which does not specifically affect the appearance or function of the property itself.


Examples of these might include:

1. a pedophile is reported to live in the neighbourhood
2. a former resident was suspected of being an organized crime gang member
3. a death occurred in the property
4. the property was robbed or vandalised
5. there are reports that the property is haunted

Duty to Disclose
When asked, the seller and their industry member must disclose the information that is known to them. However, keep in mind the current owners may have no knowledge of events that occurred before their ownership or the property may have been rented out and the seller may not know of events that occurred during the rental period. For serious concerns, consumers are advised to make inquiries of the local police service.

Home sellers and seller’s representatives who are concerned that some event may cause the seller’s property to be considered stigmatized will face a dilemma - do we disclose and risk harming our property value, or do we not disclose and risk the buyer learning the information later and pursuing us for damages? Prudent industry members will discuss all the variables with the seller and should suggest obtaining a lawyer’s advice as to the seller’s rights and obligations.

Home sellers are cautioned to keep in mind this issue differs from the responsibility to disclose material latent defects. A latent defect is a material defect not generally visible, such as a serious crack in the foundation that has been covered over with paneling or improper wiring covered by drywall. Sellers and their representatives must disclose all material latent defects about a property to potential buyers, or otherwise risk being liable to the buyer for the costs of repairing the defect.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Doesn't it matter HOW the person died?
I thought ghosts only stuck around if they was a 'wrong' committed and stay until justice is served.

In Asian cultures (or Taoism, Buddhism anyways) there is a 7 week ceremony after a person's death to send their spirit away.

I think that's a bit of an urban legend. If there are ghosts, and I'm not saying there are, I know people who swear they have friendly ghosts from former owners who died of natural causes and were simply strongly attached to their homes.

As for ghosts, real or not, can someone cite a proven case of a ghost actually killing someone? I don't mean panicking someone into jumping off a cliff. I mean stabbing, shooting, beating someone to death. I've certainly never heard of such a case.