Online House Hunting - Would you buy a house that someone was murdered in?

Would you buy a house that someone was murdered in?

I am in the process of buying a house and have today discovered that someone was brutally murdered there just over 2 and a half years ago. The case was in the national news and there is a new local campaign surrounding the case which is going to make a lot more people aware of it (hence how I've only just found out). I'm not personally worried about living in the house but I'm concerned about it's resale potential. Would something like this totally put you off buying a house or more inclined to want to buy it? Do you think it would decrease the value of the house or increase it because of the history? Your opinions are appreciated!

Public Comments

nooo i wouldn,t be able to sleep...imagine every little noice..spooky
I wouldnt buy a house where someone was murdered.I think it would put most people off.Could be haunted................
It would not decrease the value, but you might have a hard time reselling the home. i don't think i would buy it.
hell no. cancel it
if they knock a bit off the price I would buy it. I don't mind living with a tortured soul.
It wouldn't bother me personally...but I would expect to pay less for the house. I do believe it's market value is quite a bit less since a lot of the market would not consider buying it. You may be in a great position to renegotiate...if you plan to flip the house in the short term...it's high risk. If you are going to live in it long term...you can get a great deal
I tried to sell a house that someone was brutally murdered in, and I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for that meddling dog and those pesky kids!
Whats happened in the house is nothing to do with the house,if you think its a good deal well that's the answer. The history will recede as the years go by, whatever. You know there are some really nice people living there now etc.
Yes, my problem isn't the house's history, more the simple fact, i cant afford to buy the dam thing in the first place.
Why ask a question like that. If its cheap who cares.
Gruesome it may sound, but I'd only be worried if it was the home of the murderer, I'd want to be sure that there were no other secrets in store. It wouldn't stop me buying, but I wouldn't go looking specifically for such a house.
I lived in a flat where an Indian lady was murdered, thankfully I wasn't there long, but I don't think that it would decrease the value of your house. Good luck
no one local would buy if you where selling, so i would say no
if the house is cheap because someone died in it then buy it, in 10 or 15 years nobody will care and you'll get your money back on it.
i would remember it.s the living you have to worry about ,the dead can,t hurt you ,,,,,, if i was you let the seller know you know what happen and tell him to have another look at the price
i would not like it, you could just imagine the press camped outside one day if the story comes back up again. and it may also decease the value (sorry had to say it!!) good luck though.
It wouldn't bother me some people might buy it because of that... just a thought
I can totally see that being an issue for a lot of potential buyers. I know that for some people of certain cultures, they wouldn't even consider buying it. I would expect it to decrease the value, unless the victim happened to be a famous celebrity. I mean, if Anna Nicole died there, you might have something, for example. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I thought that unnatural deaths in homes had to be disclosed by the sellers. Natural deaths, AIDS, need not be, but I really thought a murder had to be disclosed. You might want to investigate that, and if you were supposed to have been told, that gives you an out to back out of the deal, if you want to. And I'm not a religious or superstitious person in any way, but even I feel I'd probably be uncomfortable knowing someone was murdered in my home. I wouldn't personally buy it.
is the house on Bundy Dr., in Brentwood California? Buy it!
Safety - If the murder was a personal issue, like a spouse or boyfriend thing, it's probably not an issue. If it was a drive by/gang related thing, I would be concerned that it has not ended yet. Re-sale - If it was a regular Joe that got murdered, it will lengthen the listing time and lower the price. If a celebrity killed his wife there, it will increase the value of the property. Disclosure - In Texas, a murder on the property must be disclosed in the sellers disclosure. Not something to be found out later. Deaths of natural causes need not be disclosed (old age, cancer, aids)
That would be a little creepy. I would't want it.
In Texas you have to disclose if someone was murdered on the property. Did the sellers not tell you? If not then that unethicial. I can and will hurt the property value and resale. Hope your getting a great deal.
It wouldn't bother me......as long as the murderer was not still there.
I could never do that. Every little noise or little bit of a draft coming through the windows would scare me. I think it will decrease the value. Don't think many people would want to live in a house like that.
hi it someone just got cut in there it straight. but a whole family died in there get the hell out there and never look back again. or sell and never look at it again. dont let the dead people bite tonite
I woun,t buy it I couldn,t sleep at night thats scarey
would not bother me but reselling to locals who know the history of the house would be hard. I should imagine the only way to get full market value would be to sell it to some one from away. I don't think you have to disclose the history of the house to new potential buyers unless they ask specifically for it though and once the sale has gone through it does not matter if they find out then. Go see the estate agents or a solicitor or go to the citizens advice they will be able to give you all the details but hold off signing any thing until you have checked every thing out fully (unless the house is dead cheap then go for it)
No i would not, as i wouldn't buy a house where the couple had divorced and had to sell, it may sound stupid but i just got bad vibes and felt it was a bad omen.
I remember looking at a flat in HK 5 years ago, apparently, a serial killer butchered and cooked the victims in that flat. It was about 30% cheaper than other flats in the district and to this day it remain unsold,