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

[troutman]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Seriously? Are you serious?



EXACTLY. Boggles the mind.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...=ghosts&page=3


http://www.livescience.com/strangene...t_hunters.html

Ghosts are big business.

The whole idea of ghosts runs into trouble as soon as a little logic is applied.

There's not even agreement on what ghosts are-or might be.

If ghosts exist, why are we no closer to finding out what they really are, after so much research?

The evidence for ghosts is no better today than it was a year ago, a decade ago, or a century ago. Ultimately, ghost hunting is not about the evidence (if it was, the search would have been abandoned long ago). Instead, it's about having fun with friends, telling ghost stories, and the enjoyment of pretending you are searching the edge of the unknown. (It's also about making money selling "Ghost Hunters" T-shirts, books, and videos.) Ghost hunters may be spinning their wheels, but at least they are enjoying the ride.

Why there are almost certainly no ghosts:

http://www.randi.org/research/index.html

At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.

To date, no one has ever passed the preliminary tests

If anyone could prove it, they would get $1,000,000.00.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Locke

Is it a drug house?

A dead guy and a drug house? What the hell kind of community are you moving into here?

My type of neighbourhood!

No, this isn't a drug house. Theres actually a former drug house not too far from where I'm living right now. It too is priced very low but has been on the market for a long time and hasn't sold. I heard that it still smells a bit green inside. With the looming food crisis people are scared of getting the munchies and blowing their money on excessive Doritos.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by troutman

There is not one shred of credible evidence that there are ghosts or spirits.

http://www.skepdic.com/ghosts.html

Still,

According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 32% believe in ghosts, down from 38% five years ago and up from 25% in 1990.

Substitute ghosts for God(s) and all this still holds...

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Could one argue that since such events can effect the value of the home for the buyer when they choose to re-sell the property that this would fall under fiduciary duties of the realtor?

I would suggest no. First off, the fiduciary relationship of the Realtor only exists between the Realtor and his own client, other than that, the ethical standards of the real estate profession vis-a-vis dealings with the general public are the relevant consideration, (provided that same are consistent with settled law and legislation)

Secondly, if you're going to impose duties like that on Realtors, they'll be getting sued left right and center by either their own clients for disclosing something that wouldn't necessarily be a stigma, or by buyers for not disclosing something that was a stigma for that particular buyer, but wouldn't be for the average person.

I like the solution the way it is now. Put the onus on the buyer to ask about any unusual circumstances. If it's important to them they should be asking the question. The Seller should have the obligation to answer such questions honestly, but not to volunteer laundry lists of possible stigmas to give a buyer ammunition in negotiations.

(It's somewhat similar to the Property Disclosure Schedules that were being used for a while, it kind of pits the Realtors against their own client in the name of protecting themselves, and deprioritizes the fiduciary responsibility for the sake of Realtor CYA.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Seriously? Are you serious?

Yes, yes I am!

I said a bit of research. It's not like I've devoted my life to discovering whether or not there are ghosts. Frankly, I couldn't care less whether there are or are not ghosts, I know my own personal experiences. What I find is a bigger shame is that people on this forum are generally close-minded about the possibility of anything 'other'... things they can't explain.

EXACTLY. Boggles the mind.

So does the idea that if you can't see it for yourself, it doesn't exist. Truely mind-boggling.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Numbers 1 and 2 are definitely reasons I wouldn't buy a house.

1 - It's obvious.

2 - Tons of crap could arise because of this... mistargeted hits on you when rivals mistake you for being the mark and if the house were ever used for green... the mould and other damage to the property means more money out of your pocket to fix.

#2 is a pretty big one.

I once rented an apartment where a drug dealer apparently used to live. We used to get knocks on our door at 3:00 am, or sometimes there would be scummy people hanging around the door when I got home.

It was pretty scary.

[Flashpoint]

I would pay extra for a house that was haunted. If such a thing existed.

Which it doesn't. Which is why I would pay more for one that was.

Especially if it had an alien in the basement.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Yeah we know everything that there is to know...and certainly if he haven't proven that ghosts exist by now then they can't possibly exist...

Never seen/felt a ghost, but had a few subjective experiences that keep me open...I think that there is a better chance that 'they' do exist than don't exist...in the same way that I think that there is a better chance that alien life exists than not (its a pretty big Universe).

Scientists essentially don't know what ?70%? of the Universe is made of (dark matter/energy), so there is lots of learning left to do before we know how this world really works.

And I think that the term Supernatural is ridiculous...either something exists in nature or it doesn't...we may not understand a phenomena or have the tools to measure it but that is our problem...

[Flashpoint]

With everyone on earth walking around with a camera phone, just as soon as I see a shred of evidence there is a ghost, I'll be happy to admit I was wrong.

Lets not forget people have been seeing them clear as day for centuries, with all kinds of detailed descriptions with talking, moving objects etc etc etc. Yet somehow in this day and age there is exactly zero credible footage.

Funny how that works. Countless shots and video of everything tangible that goes on in western society, and yet no good ghost footage yet.

Hmmmm....

Since such footage hasn't happened (just like bigfoot, the loch ness monster, ogopogo, santa, and god), I'm not too worried about having to admit anything anytime soon.

Haunted house with proof? Hell ya, I'd pay a mint for that!

[Russic]

My in-laws own a house that they rented out in the Okanagan. They weren't able to check in too often, but once when they did they realized that the garage had become a grow-op. They booted the tenant out (actually he bolted as the weed was more than likely hells angels related), cleaned up the house and moved in.

Few months later when my father in law was out of town my mother in law awoke to a loud knocking on the door. The behemoth at the door asked for the former tenant. When told the story of what happened he just walked away and said "Tell him Indian Dan is looking for him". She hasn't exactly felt 100% secure since.

[J pold]

It amazes me when people believe in ghosts seriously they are right up there with Bigfoot, Unicorns, and the Lockness Monster

[Sylvanfan]

^^^
Yeah, this other drug house close to where I currently live has had two instances of nearby vandalism since I've lived here and that's only been two months. So I tend to think stay away from the drug house.

But the death house....Thats a damn good deal on a piece of land that is getting very hard to get your hands on these days.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by J pold

It amazes me when people believe in ghosts seriously they are right up there with Bigfoot, Unicorns, and the Lockness Monster

And yet aliens are a belief that hasn't been proven but apparently it's more 'plausible' so people aren't looked down upon for believing in them.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

What about suicides? Is it true that they stay as ghosts and are afraid to leave because they have sinned?

And I don't think a ghost can physically harm someone. They're just a nuisance.

I don't know if suicides are any different or not. I think Buddhists believe that people who commit suicide are short changing their destiny by dropping out of school so to speak, and are therefore immediately reincarnated to live out the remaining term of the incarnation they committed suicide in. That's the only theory I've heard about suicides. If the Buddhists have it right though, that would sort of mean suicides don't produce ghosts.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by J pold

It amazes me when people believe in ghosts seriously they are right up there with Bigfoot, Unicorns, and the Lockness Monster

Totally agree.

BUT THEN, people attempt to apply LOGIC to make decisions about magical beings and mysterious wonders...

"If the person died off of the property as determined by the city's zoning regulations, that ghost will haunt the other property... 'cause y'know... it has to follow the rules..."

I just can't get my mind around this type of reasoning... present an idea to me? Fine... give me some proof - ANY PROOF - and I'll believe it.

[8 Ball]

I wouldn't have a problem cashing in on the good deal Sylvanfan is talking about, but I don't know if I would buy the Medicine Hat house where the family was killed or the Pickton farm property. I don't really believe in ghosts, but the latter two properties would creep me out.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by troutman

Still,

According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 32% believe in ghosts, down from 38% five years ago and up from 25% in 1990.

Now get me some income data and demographics of the 68% who don't believe in ghosts to help me determine if I can turn a serious profit on this place 5 years down the road.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by FireFly

And yet aliens are a belief that hasn't been proven but apparently it's more 'plausible' so people aren't looked down upon for believing in them.

Since when? Whenever those late night shows about people who claim to have seen aliens or things in the sky I think they are just as ridiculous as people who believe in ghosts

They only reason that aliens might be a bit more plausible to because they universe is so infinitely large that people figure they should be some other form of life out there

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by FireFly

And yet aliens are a belief that hasn't been proven but apparently it's more 'plausible' so people aren't looked down upon for believing in them.

They aren't?

I suppose you could argue that there is life on this planet, and since we have evidence for other planets, then if there are enough planets, maybe there is life on another one.

Unlike the "afterlife" for which there is no evidence whatsoever.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Totally agree.

BUT THEN, people attempt to apply LOGIC to make decisions about magical beings and mysterious wonders...

I'm a died-in-the-wool skeptic, but I've also worked in Theatres my entire life, which makes it a little hard to utterly discount the possibility of 'hauntings'.

While I do not believe in 'ghosts' as in the spirits or souls of people who have died lingering behind, I am prepared to accept the possibility that there is something going on that we aren't able to quantify yet.

My personal lay-person's theory is that, in certain places or under certain circumstances, it is possible for people and other life forms to leave behind a kind of residual energy which can be occasionally perceived - either visually (seeing ghosts), auditorially (hearing footsteps), or tatically (temperature drops, creepy feelings).

I am prepared to accept this because we live in a universe where 70% of the energy and 25% of the matter are invisible to us. I think it's entirely probable that we are as effected by 'dark energy' as we are by gravity (forces of similarly weak magnitude) and that maybe our brains interpret these energies by representing them in ways we are familiar with - sights, sounds, and sensations.

Obviously I have no proof, and I know that the burden of proof is on the claimant, but I will quote Mr. Holmes: "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."