Would you live in a house where there had been a murder?

[1988TBT]

Just that really… DP and I looking at buying a second property to rent out. It’s underpriced and chain free… because 18 months ago the husband murdered his wife in one of the bedrooms. It’s put me off a good amount but DP is still keen to go ahead with the sale and says there will be lots of people that won’t want t rent it but it won’t put EVERYONE off. Would it put you off?

@tulips27

No way. Things like blood and tissue could be ingrained into the fabric of the building, its not like they cut out the floorboards, is it? They probably just scrub it down but I couldn't see that as clean.

That can easily happen even without someone being murdered.

I live in a nice road where a woman killed her neighbour with a spade over a long running insanely petty series of events

Since that yes I would buy it with barely a second thought, I doubt your target market will even know ?

I would rent or buy the house. I've lived in apartments with spirits so it doesn't scare me.

Sorry, trying to imagine it IN the description

Nope. Would weird me out cos Im a bit woo and easily scared so I would just imagine all sorts.. But I reckon more sensible, grounded people would not really have a problem with it. Plus, prospective tenants probably wouldnt even know the story. As a teenager we lived in a large rented house out in the countryside, old farmhouse with barns and stuff. Years after we moved away, I heard that prior to us living there, there had been a suicide. I lived there for two years and never got weird vibes or anything..probably because I was unaware at the time.

I don’t think it would bother me really, probably because I suffered CSA as a child so I’m only too aware that bad things have happened in many homes, much of which we don’t know about. What happened to my DSis and me wouldn’t have been known to whoever has lived in our childhood home once my DM started letting it out and then finally sold it.

Having said that, I think we would nevertheless ask our church pastor to pray a blessing over our new home.

Wouldn't bother me.

I'm on the fence

I honestly don't think I could... I know it's silly and irrational, but it would bother me.

Yes it would definitely put me off

I could not live there. Imagine waking up at 3am - imagination would be wrking overtime.

I wouldn't buy it to live in, but as a landlord with all the improvements you're planning, it should be a good investment. Seriously, though, I'd ask the local vicar to come and pray a blessing over all who will live and stay there, and have her pray particularly in the relevant room.

Should be fine. In a country as old as ours, there can't be many spots where something nasty has never happened!

Well, I'm a witchy old thing, so I would buy it and immediately sage the entire thing...that said, I immediately sage ANY home I'm moving into.

It would put me off because every time I was in that bedroom, all I'd be able to think about was the fear and pain of that woman, the terrifying anger of her husband, etc. Or as I walked up the stairs to bed I'd wonder about the fateful night she walked up those stairs to bed and what she was thinking or if she had a clue what was about to happen to her or if she was scared etc. But I

1. watch too many horror films and
2. have a very overactive imagination on the one hand, and
3. also spend a lot of time wondering about people from history who would have been in the same places as me and how they thought and felt etc - I'm a keen historian and I think this trait comes from this. So a combination of these three things makes it a hard no from me!

One of my best friends would be affected in a different way, she's very 'woo' and would be put off by negative energy left behind after such a traumatic and tragic event.

My second best friend wouldn't be at all bothered, probably. Very practical. Might even consider it a good thing if it reduced the price of the house and made it a better investment!

So I think it all depends on you as a person.

If you feel bothered now, though, then don't go through with it. It's a BIG thing to regret, a house buy!

I’m not at all woo and don’t believe in ghosts. But I often wonder about previous residents of my home and hope they were happy in the house.

I would be really sad to think of someone suffering in the house I called home. If a woman was murdered, there were probably many episodes of domestic violence there as well.

I wouldn’t be able to put those thoughts out of my head.

I wouldn't like the live in it BUT if it were all newly renovated and I liked it I would be very tempted. More so if renting as properties are in high demand and usually not all modern and new looking inside. Go for it I'm sure you'll find a tenant no bother. Even if you have to price is £50 per month lower than others (you probably won't need to) that alone will get you a tenant.

Stick a red plaque on the wall outside and charge viewings with a guide. Joking...

Well everyone is going to think im a right weirdo but I rented a property years ago where the back bedroom was always really cold. It was my kids Room and he started getting nightmare and then refused to sleep in it which wasn't like him. The cat wouldn't go in it either. When we came to leave it the agent guy mentioned that a women had been murdered there. I genuinely didn't know when I was in it. Probably a coincidence but it proper freaked me out. So yes it would put me off.

Buy it and have the house blessed so perspective tenants if the ask feel some comfort. With cost saving you can offer slightly lower rent too. Good luck.

I would worry about when I came to re-sell, but personally I wouldn't mind living there.

If you are looking at it as a rental property and you can use the history as leverage to drop the price I would buy it.
You are not going to be living there so I don't see what the problem is.
There will be a few renters that would be put off, but most renters are more interested in the price, how nice the accommodation is decorated, facilities and location.
If its a student area they wont give a damn.

I lived in a rented house in York that I later found out had been the scene of a domestic murder. Did not bother me at all, but if people are sensitive they may avoid it.
My sister and her husband live in a very old cottage and during renovation, a baby skeleton was found in a wall. She was very matter of fact about it and did not seem bothered. This was not unusual for an 18th century building. She is still living there over 40 years later.

The thing is, we never know what's happened in any of the houses we live in. People could have been murdered, or taken their own lives etc and we wouldn't always necessarily know. If you really like the house, then go for it.
What a sad and tragic thing to have happened there. But you can move in and make new, happier memories.

I couldn’t live in it myself. But - yes I could buy it and let it out, not sure what that says about me tbh 😐

Our next door neighbour's house was cheap because a previous occupant attempted to kill his wife. Police on the door step etc. and the guy is now in prison. If you went into the house now, you wouldn't know. They've completely redecorated and there's no strange atmosphere at all. I might raise an eye at buying a second house to make an income from it when a non-home owner could get it at a knock down price and get on the property ladder, but the murder shouldn't put you off buying per se.