Would you buy a "murder house"?

It's a requirement in California to reveal unsavory happenings like murders happening in homes before you sell.

We just sold our old house six months ago and that was one of the things we had to sign, that nobody died an unnatural death. We were the original owners, so outside of two of our three cats dying of old age there, this wasn't a murder house.

I'd be a little squeamish, largely like Buck, because of the resale issues. But depending on the crime, there may be other issues not attached to the perceived supernatural for me to hurdle.

 

Do I get money taken off for each blood stain on the walls?

 

I read a story recently about a family moving into a house that had been raided as a meth house when the previous owners lived there. Would you buy a house like that?

And doesn't that seem kinda unethical, realtors knowing but not sharing that a house somebody is interested in had something like a murder or suicide happen in it? Realtors are just a step below car salesmen in my mind as far as ethics are concerned.

 

My fiancee's next-door neighbor was killed Thanksgiving week, then not discovered for four or five days. I went into the house about a month ago when the family finally put it on the market (it need a lot of work, not because of murder), and I did feel the need to figure out where it all happened for some reason. I'd seen some details of the crime in the cop report, but it was discomforting to think about that having gone on.

 

I think the only time they have to reveal it is if something happened that would affect the property's condition.

I don't think I'd have a problem buying a murder house. I would just be concerned about resale value.


the only time I might shy away would be if the former owners were drug lords or something like that.

 

I don't think that would be too bad. That's just like a smoking/non-smoking hotel room, in my mind - it would be cleaned up and returned to new. I'd be a little more squeamish if it was raided and people were killed in a fury, though.

 

Along these lines, would you buy a place if you knew someone committed suicide there?

 

I'd treat the suicide the same as the murder. If I thought the price was good and I wasn't going to lose money on a resale, why not?
What's the appraisal on the Amityville house these days?

 

As long as they got the blood stains out of the floor/walls, I wouldn't have a problem if I really liked the house and the price was right. Now, if my son started walking around the new place saying "redrum, redrum," I would leave lickety-split.

 

Depending on the savings, location, etc., sure.

Meth lab house? No way. That crap is always there no matter how well you rip out the carpet, paint the ways and clean out the ducts.

 

I would, for a good price.

If you've ever stayed at a hotel that costs less than $100, chances are you've already slept in the same room where some very unsavory things have taken place.

 

If you see this while house shopping, do not buy: