Posted by TRandle on February 28, 2002 at 23:49:45:
Michael,
I’m not familiar with that one. In ours one schizophrenic roommate shot another one for no apparent reason.
A spooky disclosure - Posted by JohnD
Posted by JohnD on February 27, 2002 at 19:31:29:
I’m close to offering on a partially fixed fixer (1979 vintage). A big house that with 12k in a basement completion can be brought to 3500 sq ft in a very good neighborhood. It’s an REO.
So here’s the spooky deal. The 32 year old son of the one only owners shot himself in the basement 17 months ago. Of course the realtors have to disclose this and if they don’t then the neighbors probably will.
My feet arn’t cold yet but things are getting a little spooky and I’m thinking it might hang up the sale. Any comments?
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by Steve-Atl
Posted by Steve-Atl on February 28, 2002 at 09:11:17:
As suggested in the other comments, I would check with your state regarding required disclosure of such an event.
The truth is that deaths occur in lots of houses…from illness, suicide, or murder. Would a buyer be concerned that someone died of a heart attack there two years ago…I don’t think so. I don’t really see how a suicide is different, but in either case it is no reflection on the house.
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by TRandle
Posted by TRandle on February 27, 2002 at 22:57:56:
John,
I own a murder house and I would guess it’s not much different than a suicide house. The murder occurred in 1997 and it does turn some folks off. So far, no one has mentioned seeing the hour long episode on Court TV that seems to air way too frequently.
We’re on our third or fourth family in the two to three years we’ve owned it. My experience is that about 50% are bothered by it. As long as the numbers work, why not?
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by Don
Posted by Don on February 27, 2002 at 22:01:22:
Legally, you may not have to disclose it at all. Morally you may want to. I don’t know if your state has any laws regarding this, but here in CT we don’t have to disclose. Check your states statutes regarding “Psychologically Impacted Properties”. The statutes can usually be found on your states General Assembly website. This is what I found on CT’s website, hope it helps.
PUBLIC ACT NO. 97172
AN ACT CONCERNING PSYCHOLOGICALLY IMPACTED PROPERTIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 20329dd of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
The existence of any fact or circumstance which may have a psychological impact on the purchaser or lessee is not a material fact that must be disclosed in a real estate transaction.
No cause of action shall arise against an owner of real estate, [or] his or her agent OR ANY AGENT OF THE TRANSFEREE for the failure to disclose to the transferee that the transferred property was psychologically impacted, as defined in section 20329cc.
Approved June 24, 1997
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by Tim Fierro (Tacoma, WA)
Posted by Tim Fierro (Tacoma, WA) on February 27, 2002 at 19:35:50:
To me, I have never thought of this as a problem. So somebody died in the place, who cares. As long as the house is good and is worth the price, then why not buy it. I don’t have any phobias about it.
Some people might not want it, but I wouldn’t care.
Just tell anyone who looks at it up front. If they are squeamish, find out now. If they are not squeamish and keep looking at the house, you might get a buyer.
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by JohnD
Posted by JohnD on February 28, 2002 at 16:44:35:
Yep, that’s the way I see it, I live in a house that was built in 1848, hum…never have met any of the spooks that certainly checked out of the world in this house.
Thanks
JD
Re: A spooky disclosure - Posted by michael
Posted by michael on February 28, 2002 at 21:31:58:
The Scaggs house? The pious church elder who snuck up behind his wife while she was playing the piano, and hit her in the head with a pipe?
Michael