House where tragedy occured

14 years ago

I don't want to give too many details about the tragedy because it was very unusual, happened very close to my house and it got national news coverage. Suffice it to say, the occupants of the house suffered a horrific death because of an accident and their bodies weren't discovered for a while. The house suffered no damage during the tragedy.

The house is currently on the market and is really spectacular. I was curious if the tragedy is something the sellers (in this case, the estate) have to disclose or does it depend on local law?

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liriodendron

14 years ago

I sold my Mother's farm in VA (where she died very unexpectedly, but of natural causes) and asked this question and was told it was not a "discloseable item". I did tell my buyers, but mostly because I knew they would eventually hear about it and I wanted to frame it for them so they would know that it was not a great tragedy (except as a shocking loss for my family) and I'm sure that all things considered my Mother would have preferred for it to happen there (if it had to happen), rather than in any other circumstances as she loved her house and felt deeply safe and at home there.

I live in a very old house (175+ years) and I'm sure many people have died here in my rooms. Doesn't trouble me at all, but then we also have a private family cemetery here with dozens of graves (some from the 1700's - so sad to see a week when four small children died, one after the other probably from something like diptheria).

I'm not sure if I would feel the same about a house as notorious as one where some infamous murders took place, for instance. Even if I came to peace about it, I would worry about resale issues. (That's about the only resale issue that would bother me, aside from environmental crises.)

You could (depending on your beliefs) have the house "cleansed" of bad energy if it bothered you.

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Comments (11)

melody-s
14 years ago
It probably varies by state. I was told by a realtor in California that there must be a disclosure if there was a death in the house within the past two years.
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sylviatexas1
14 years ago
In Texas, natural deaths & suicides don't have to be disclosed;
violent deaths have to be disclosed because the buyer might be at risk (ie: deceased was killed by a rival drug dealer, but his other rivals haven't been told that the new buyer/occupant is a whole 'nother person against whom they have no grudge).

I would advise any seller to disclose whatever he/she knows in advance, rather than have the potential buyer find out either before closing & refuse to close or find out after closing & call an attorney.
annkathryn
14 years ago
It absolutely must be disclosed in California and is a checkbox on the standard disclosure form.

I went to an open house 2 weeks ago. There had been a murder in the same block last year, not even the same house. It was disclosed in the disclosure package with a note that further information was available with the city police department.
brickeyee
14 years ago
"It absolutely must be disclosed in California and is a checkbox on the standard disclosure form."

I guess we figured out that people die all the time in Virginia.

I had a personal residence the PO died in from natural causes.
I purchased the place from the executor.

I hear being alive is one of the leading causes of death.
mpinto
14 years ago
In Massachusetts we don't disclose unless asked. Even then, we may not even know.
annkathryn
14 years ago
California Note how many homes are priced with at least two eights in the list price. A house just sold on my street listed at $888,888. This isn't an accident ;-)
jane__ny
14 years ago
In my old neighborhood, a murder, suicide occured in a home. Husband murdered his entire family. Horrible, as my children were in school with two of the children.

The house sat for years unsold but was finally bought by someone who had the house gutted completely down to the frame. I'm sure they bought it for next to nothing.

I'm not sure what the law is in NY (Westchester Cty), but it would have been impossible for buyers to not find out what happened in the house. The entire community (small) was in shock for many years.

Jane
polie
14 years ago
I read that in New York, it is not a legal requirement that a tragedy, for example, a murder-suicide, be reported to buyers. That said, I actually think it's wiser for the seller or the estate to let buyers know. Word gets around, and rather than scaring off potential buyers, it's best to be upfront and be able to diplomatically frame the issue.
jrb451
5 years ago
Anyone care to share what’s the protocol in their area for disclosure on death in a home for sale? Not talking about murder or suicide. TIA
maifleur03
5 years ago
jrb talk to your real estate agent. Here it is just a courtesy mention but not required. The previous owner's wife died in this house only found that out when the husband mentioned it. None of the neighbors cared enough to mention it. Deaths at home are still common.