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Original poster

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

387 replies

1988TBT · 16/11/2021 07:18

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?

OP posts:
mrsbitaly · 16/11/2021 08:17

Absolutely not. This isn't someone who just passed peacefully this was someone who was murdered. I know its just a house but I genuinely couldn't sleep at night knowing someone suffered so much in those rooms.

LowlandLucky · 16/11/2021 08:18

There was a woman murdered in a council flat in my local town, council left it empty for 13 months then rented it out again. Private rent around the corner from my Dad was rented out again within a few months after the last occupant had lain dead in the house for 4 days. In the very room i am sitting in now an old man died in his chair and wasn't found until the next day. Buy the house, you won't have a problem renting it out.

Itsnotover · 16/11/2021 08:19

No I wouldn't.

AlandAnna · 16/11/2021 08:20

No I don’t think I could live there. But agree a renter desperate to find the right place at fair price might feel differently.

TheMarzipanDildo · 16/11/2021 08:21

No I couldn’t do that. I’m not a woo person at all but I would find it all too sad.

Spiceup · 16/11/2021 08:22

I'd buy it to live in if it was cheap enough, but I'd be worried it wouldn't be good as an investment property.

Clawdy · 16/11/2021 08:22

I know most older properties will have rooms where somebody died, and I've no problem with that. But no, I couldn't live in a house where a murder had taken place. It would be in my head every time I entered the room, especially at night.

PickupaPenguin8 · 16/11/2021 08:25

There is no way I could live in a house where there had been a murder of suicide.

SpookyScarySkeletons · 16/11/2021 08:25

@wtaf37

I have to ask those of you who said you wouldn't live in such a house - Why not??

I mean, there is no such thing as ghosts, nor, presumably, is the murderer still living there. And unless you live in a new build that you were the first to move into, how much do you know about the lives of the people who lived in your house previously? Why knows what went on under your roof? Just because it didn't make the papers, doesn't mean stuff didn't happen; child deaths, old people dying at home in their beds, domestic violence, abuse of domestic staff...
The list is endless!

I am a bit woo sorry!

But my main reason would be that it would always be in my head, I wouldn't be able to not think about it. I also believe that homes where that sort of thing has happened retain a bit of the sadness.

Nothing has gone on under my roof - we bought it before they had even finished building it.

PomegranateQueen · 16/11/2021 08:26

Depends what the rental market is like where you live. Where I live, there are 30+ applicants for each rental, so if I were in your position I would invest in it.

RedskyThisNight · 16/11/2021 08:28

Wouldn't bother me and surprised that it would put so many people off.
The only difference with this house and any other is that you know some of its history. In other houses women and children may have been abused, there may have been sexual assault, there may have been slow lingering deaths by natural causes. Would these all be fine if you didn't know about them?

Practicebeingpatient · 16/11/2021 08:29

The only difference between that house and any other house is that you know a murder was committed there. Murders and suicides could have happened in any other property or in any other plot of land but weren't reported or detected. So I'd ignore any woo stuff about ghostly presences. People have been living and dying on this tiny island for countless millennia and it isn't wall to wall ghosties.

If it's a good price and you do it up to the appropriate local standard it will rent out. For every nervous soul who knows about the murder there will be half a dozen other people who don't know or know and don't care.

Practicebeingpatient · 16/11/2021 08:31

Nothing has gone on under my roof - we bought it before they had even finished building it.

What about the land it was built on? Can you be certain there wasn't a grisly murder there 500 years ago?

JadeTrinket · 16/11/2021 08:32

Gosh, some of these responses explain why people pay crazy money for cramped, poorly-built newbuilds, if they believe they’re paying a premium for no one to have died, of any cause, in their house.

KittenKong · 16/11/2021 08:32

Our block was built on a WW2 bomb site (a row of victorian houses). Not sure what happened - must look it up.

RicherThanYew · 16/11/2021 08:33

I dont buy that you would struggle to rent it out Op. My dad died at home more than four years ago and everyone in this area knew how and why he died, it was traumatic and awful, I honestly thought the landlord would struggle to rent it out but it was rented again within months. It would have been weeks but they decided to put a new roof on the old garage. Some people just don't buy into bad vibes or ghosties, you should be fine Smile

Mummyoflittledragon · 16/11/2021 08:33

I would buy it. You’ll find a tenant happy to take the house.

yourestandingonmyneck · 16/11/2021 08:33

I guess it depends on the area - how big is the prospective pool of renters?

If it's a small town where everybody already knows and there's not many new ppl moving to the town it might be tough to find a tenant.

If it's somewhere a bit larger / commutable to a city with interest from out of towners I imagine it would be less of an issue.

But my general feeling is that the memory of it will fade over time.

Rosiiiiie · 16/11/2021 08:34

Yeaaaaah… that’s a no from me. But just because death gives me the creeps.

Practicebeingpatient · 16/11/2021 08:35

@PickupaPenguin8

There is no way I could live in a house where there had been a murder of suicide.
How would you even know? My family were touched by suicide some years ago. We carried on living in the house until my parents eventually sold it. When they sold it it didn't even cross their minds to mention to the estate agents or viewers that a family tragedy had occurred there. Anymore than they mentioned joyous events like the births that took place there.
Debsdonein · 16/11/2021 08:36

There is a house in my area that belonged to a serial killer. This is from over 100 years ago and the occupants still have people knocking on the door asking about it and even asking to look round 😒

LakieLady · 16/11/2021 08:36

It wouldn't bother me unless it had been the scene of such a notorious murder that you'd get gawpers coming to take pictures etc.

Atozofpoodles · 16/11/2021 08:36

No way

JadeTrinket · 16/11/2021 08:37

@Rosiiiiie

Yeaaaaah… that’s a no from me. But just because death gives me the creeps.
You get that it happens to everyone, including you, right? That it’s not some niche thing that only happens to an unfortunate few?
Atozofpoodles · 16/11/2021 08:37

Also, who get the proceeds from the sale?

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