Buying a house where a tragedy happened

[Canistayinbed]

Would you?

House near me is up for sale, in the 60’s a father murdered 5 members of his family then killed himself. I couldn’t even bring myself to view the house let alone buy it.

Houses that have had fatal fires, been renovated and ready for occupancy again. Nope.

Id be awake at night ruminating over things and never get any sleep, I know it seems stupid. Anyone else the same? Or do you live in such a place and aren’t bothered by it?

I was driven by that house when I was 19 or so by a new boyfriend who pointed it out to me. We didn’t last long, strange thing to say to your new girlfriend.

I have walked past the house where Dennis Neilson lived a few times. Lovely part of the world, nice houses but it would give me the creeps to live there. I think there is a difference between the types of things that can happen - like the Fred and Rose West house which was demolished and rightly in my opinion.

60 years ago, not 80!

There’s a house in my street where the husband ended his life earlier this year. It’s a lovely house though, immaculately decorated and from the outside you’d have no idea this happened. Also, local business owner ended his life last year but unsure if it was in the property where he lived with his family. Again, nicely decorated property.

My house was built in 1923 and a lady died here. So what? There's going to be tons of deaths in some really old houses.

But a peaceful death is very different from a multiple murder/suicide, don't you think?
I'd have no qualms about living in a house that had had people die in it of natural causes (most of which I probably wouldn't know about anyway). But it would be hard to put out of my mind the agony and terror that those victims felt in the house in the OP.

Not going to link to article but a couple not from the UK bought and did up Neilsen’s house before selling it on, had no issues and said it was lovely, quiet. I bet re quiet. It’s up to them what they did obviously but I’ve since read that about 7 victims weren’t ever identified which is sad. I couldn’t ever live there. No matter what works had been done on it.

Most people should agree with this. A peaceful death is very different from a violent death. It’s why the Wests house was demolished - to prevent tourists but also because the crimes were and are so horrific.

Wouldn't bother me unless it was a Fred West type situation, but then those types of places tend to get demolished. Otherwise, it's just a building.
My house was only built in the 70s (so, 70 years ago 😉) but the previous owner died in the house, not too long before we moved in.
Never occurred to me to even think about it. It's a bright and happy house.

My late Nana and Grandad lived in a house where the previous owner took her own life. Many strange things happened in the house during the 50 odd years they lived there and always blamed it on "Mrs Jones"
Things disappearing and ending up in another room ect It was a very large 4 bedroom house and up until my grandad passed away, we were not allowed upstairs. My Nana passed away just before Christmas and the house has been emptied ready to sell. The only thing left in there was a neatly folded pile of net curtains that ended up in center of the room that "Mrs Jones" took her life in. No one else has access to the house and non of the movement sensors went off during the night.

Absolutely not. I have far to much of an imagination. I'd be convincing myself there were ghosts or something silly 😂

JFK was killed on Elm Street. I’ve wondered whether that’s a coincidence or the film refers to it.

Horrific crimes happen in council houses and they don't get demolished. They can't afford to. So some unlucky soul gets placed in one.

I know someone who bought a house where a mother killed her two kids and then herself.
She got it cheap.
My head tells me I'd do the same, but in reality, I'm not sure I would.

No. We once viewed a house where an old man had sadly died inside it and his walking stick was still at the table. I liked the house but I kept thinking I would see his ghost. It felt both sad and spooky. I couldn’t knowingly buy a house where somebody had died, I’d rather not know.

I know of someone who rented the flat in the late 80s , completely aware, as new to the UK. They moved swiftly on when they found out.
I'd be the same.

Almost every house built before WW2 will have seen births and deaths. That’s life.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

I don't believe in ghosts or lingering souls or stuff like that.

I would be far less like to buy a house that was taken by the criminal assets bureau or something like that.

We discovered years after we bought our last house that something dreadful had happened there about 30 years previously. It upset me a little, but the house had been completely renovated twice, so I didn't feel the bad vibes could still be there. We did remove something creative that the person concerned had made and installed though.

This!

I just mentioned on another thread, but I'd always wanted to tour the archaeological sites of Egypt, but my younger self couldn't afford it. Then there was a terrorist attack. That was tragic. But prices tumbled. I booked immediately. And had the luxury holiday of a lifetime....

Houses with history wouldn't bother me at all

It wouldn't make a difference to me. I'm sure bad things happen all over, it just doesn't make the news.
For big cases which does make the news there are such people who romanticise the tragedy and actually pay over the price. Like Chris Watt's house (albeit in the US) but still there are plenty of interest for it or maybe they are just curious to see the scene. (He murdered his 2 daughters and pregnant wife).

My brother lives in a house where the previous owner was murdered. It was a fairly high profile case and they had reporters visiting when they bought it.

He doesn’t mind, and the house feels warm and loved. No bad vibes. I like to think the previous occupant is happy that a happy family lives there now.

The also paid less than market value for it, as you’d expect. It was on the market a while.

Eh ? I was born in the sixties, I am not 80 !! I am not even 60 !

As I said in another post the new buyers (who’ve since sold) stayed and renovated the place. Totally up to them of course, but once they found out I do think it’s a bit disrespectful to the relatives of the dead men to try and make money off the property - any property in a similar circumstance actually, due to its notoriety. The house was featured in the press when they bought and renovated it.

Fgs, I think purplepickle has got the point now re the 1960's.

As for houses, I would be put off by a recent violent crime (in living memory, say last 70 years). Natural deaths, suicide or older crimes, probably fine.