creepy, would you pass on buying this house

[Jeannie in NJ]

this is so creepy because of the other thread about buying a house with a violent past. We looked at a house yesterday, it is a beautiful house. However it is only 11 years old and the entire inside has been redone, like it was gutted and everything redone but work has been stopped, no shower doors put in, no stair rail, no appliances, no handles on cabinets and lots of other things. Our realtor was concerned tha tthere might had been a fire or flood so he called the seller's realtor. Well here is what our realtor just called and told us.

 

Four years ago in our area there was a horrible car accident. Two teenage sisters from the local high school were going to eat a snack of cereal and the milk was bad so they drove to the local market. (I remember how horrible all these news was when it happened 4 years ago) They were hit and killed by a speeding cop that ran thru the intersection. The population in our area is only 12,000 so this was MAJOR news. The trial of the cop was almost 2 years ago and he was acquitted. Well, the house we looked at was the house where the sisters lived with their single mom (they were her only children). I was shocked when our realtor told us as everyone here knows all about this case, we just did not know this was their house. THe mom had torn everything out of the house to try and get rid of the memoriies but then decided to just move from the area to NYC.

 

Well, after we had looked at the house yesterday and before we knew its past, dh had said that he felt kind of uncomfortable there. Well, we have decided not to make an offer on the house, we would not feel at peace in that house. I would always be thinking about that mother and what she went thru. We really liked the house but I know I would never feel any peace there.

[OnTheBrink]

I probably wouldn't have any issue with a house with that past. How very sad for that mom, though. :(

[LaMere Academy]

They didn't die in the house, so no I wouldn't have any issues with it.

[bzymom]

I remember this tragedy, and the outrage over the acquittal. It was heartbreaking.

 

I hope you find a house that suits your family soon.

[Kirch]

How sad. I don't think it would be an issue for me as far as the house, though. I'm sure there are many, many houses that belonged to people who have gone through horrible things. It might be an issue if a tragedy had happened *in* the house that would be an issue--I'd be afraid I'd think/wonder about it a lot--or if I knew the people who had lived there.

[Jeannie in NJ]

I would not feel afraid in the house, just so sad there. I would always be thinking about it and be remembering the pictures of the mom in the paper both after the accident and during the trial. And also be thinking about how incredibly sad she was and to have felt the need to gut the house to get rid of memories. I just would always feel sad in that house. That is mainly why we decided not to put an offer on it. (my dc are teens and my dd will be driving in a couple of months so I think that would also affect me).

[Lara in Colo]

I guess I would take the position that by purchasing the house, you are helping the mother move on, since she cannot actually move on while she is still paying for this house.

 

You are helping the neighborhood to move one as well, by allowing new memories for the house.

 

After a forest fire, the grass grows back, the animals move back, the land is allowed to recover.

 

If no one buys the house, recovery is slowed.

[Princess Peach]

If it was a very high profile case in a small area, I can see how it would be weird. I just wouldn't want the notoriety; even though they didn't die in the house, everyone knows that's where they lived.

[Guest]

Our house was vacant for four years before we bought it. We moved from out of state, and when we got here the neighbors told us that a husband, wife, their son, and one set of grandparents had lived here. The husband and the grandparents died, the mom supposedly went a little crazy (I don't buy it based off the stories I have been told - I think she was just understandably really upset), the house was repossessed, and the mom and son moved out. I have no clue if they died in the house (in CA the realtors have to tell you, not sure about here).

 

We creep ourselves out because it looks like there is a gigantic grave in the backyard. :leaving:

 

We love this house and are glad we purchased it. I'm not sure if I would have bought it had I known all that, beforehand, but we had no clue. When we found out we were a little surprised but what can ya do about it? I'm not a superstitious person, so it doesn't matter... we just feel so badly for the previous occupants.

 

Some neighbors have told me the son has stopped by their house and looked at (the outside) of our house. Poor guy.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Jinnah

[Mama2Many4]

I guess I would take the position that by purchasing the house, you are helping the mother move on, since she cannot actually move on while she is still paying for this house.

 

You are helping the neighborhood to move one as well, by allowing new memories for the house.

 

After a forest fire, the grass grows back, the animals move back, the land is allowed to recover.

 

If no one buys the house, recovery is slowed.

 

 

This is a wonderful way to look at it! Just think of all the good memories you can make in the house. I would buy it. It wouldn't bother me.

[RoughCollie]

I guess I would take the position that by purchasing the house, you are helping the mother move on, since she cannot actually move on while she is still paying for this house.

 

You are helping the neighborhood to move one as well, by allowing new memories for the house.

 

After a forest fire, the grass grows back, the animals move back, the land is allowed to recover.

 

If no one buys the house, recovery is slowed.

 

I would not have thought of that, and I think you are so smart for doing so. :iagree:

[MariannNOVA]

I guess I would take the position that by purchasing the house, you are helping the mother move on, since she cannot actually move on while she is still paying for this house.

 

You are helping the neighborhood to move one as well, by allowing new memories for the house.

 

After a forest fire, the grass grows back, the animals move back, the land is allowed to recover.

 

If no one buys the house, recovery is slowed.

 

This works for me. And, b/c no one died in the house, it wouldn't bother me. Lots of folks suffer tragedies that have occured elsewhere and they end up spending time in the house while they grieve and their hearts are broken.

[Punchie]

I would pass b/c knowing the history would make me too uncomfortable to live in the house. Even if it wouldn't make you uncomfortable, the fact that your DH was would be enough (for me) to continue looking elsewhere.

[hsbaby]

I would pass. But, I'm weird about stuff like that. I'd be okay most of the time, but once it was dark.....mmmmmm, no way. I think I've watched too many ghost story movies and would freak myself out. Irrational? Yeah. Still wouldn't live there:)

[Gooblink]

Oh, heartbreak. My grandma lost her only 2 kids in a car accident. My dad and his brother, obviously after they were married and had babies of their own.

 

I don't know...that would be tough. I'm not sure what I would do. I suppose, logically, what happened in the house shouldn't factor into your decision. On the other hand...sadness, grief...it's a weight to carry. If you can't picture yourself living there without replaying the house's past, then you probably should pass.

[milovany]

We bought a house a year ago in which both elderly residents had died within minutes of each other. Their story made local news (we live in an area similar in size to yours). The gentleman had been having trouble breathing, or something like that, and so his wife called 911. When the paramedics arrived, she started having a heart attack and they tried to help her, but she died. Soon after, the husband passed away also. They had been married 50+ years, and had been well-known and active in our local community.

 

We offered on this house before we were aware of this; but I kept seeing the names of the couple in our sale papers, and they rang a bell. I finally Googled it, and then immediately recalled the story. It's not as tragic as the story you tell, but those girls also didn't die in the house like the couple from whose estate we purchased this home.

 

You move in, and live there, and life goes on and it's no big deal. Really. In our case, Dh and I want to finish raising our kids here and remain here until a much-aged state, so I think it's kind of sweet in a way -- they had done the same (had lived here 40+ years). Please don't let this stop you from purchasing a house you both like. And I love what the other person posted above -- how awesome that you could be the ones to give the mom of these girls the gift of being able to move on to a less-sad place in her life. And we love the neighborhood, and hope we (with the happy noises of our kids and the productivity of our land) are helping the neighbors to move on from the sad memories associated with the house, too.

 

:grouphug:

Edited May 26, 2011 by milovaný

[JeneralMom]

I think I would feel differently about a house in which two people had peacefully passed away rather than a house where people had been violently killed.

[Liz CA]

They didn't die in the house, so no I wouldn't have any issues with it.

 

Same here. In fact, I would not worry about it if someone had died in the house. We are all going to die and I would surely rather die at whatever house I have at the time. We are moving into a very old farmhouse. I bet someone has died in there in the 50 some years people have lived in it.

[Tohru]

My dh and I are very peculiar when we buy a house. We want to make sure that there wasn't any violence,tragedy, or even foreclosure because one does think about the previous owners from time to time. I know it sounds weird, but a home is what holds people's hopes and dreams and we'd rather not live somewhere in which those were shattered.

 

I'd always wonder about the what if's in regard to the girls that died, especially as my children grew.

[AuntieM]

Well, this is just me, but I would not buy the house.

[Jeannie in NJ]

thank you Jadedone80, you have expessed my feelings exactly.

 

If I bought that house, I would think about the mother too much and as my dd will start driving in a few months, I would be constantly worried about her and reminded about the 2 innocent girls that were killed thru absolutly no fault of their own.

 

Also everyone around here knows all about this horrible accident

[beezus]

I guess I would take the position that by purchasing the house, you are helping the mother move on, since she cannot actually move on while she is still paying for this house.

/QUOTE]

 

I was thinking about this as well - someone buying the house might help this mother cut the ties to this place that is connected with so much grief for her.

 

I feel really bad for that mother too, but the house hasn't done anything wrong. I would consider buying it if it were otherwise a good housing choice for my family. Maybe I would feel differently if someone had been brutally murdered inside the house, but not where the negative connection was an unfortunate accident occurring elsewhere.