Would you buy this house? TW-suicide

[Consideringbuying]

I am a lone parent with 2 small kids and am almost through a fairly awful and dragged out divorce. The circumstances around the divorce were horrible for all of us and I'm so ready to be in a secure home and just move on from it all.

I'm (hopefully) going to be in a position to buy a house soon and there's a house has been up for sale for a couple of months round the corner from where we live. I love the area and have really liked living here. The house is much bigger and better than the one we're renting and is exactly what I'd be looking for. It's one of the nicer homes in the estate.

It's also significantly under my small budget and is about £40k under market value for other homes of the same size in the same estate. I've been told this is because the owner is wanting a quick sale however it's sat for a few months already (unheard of in this area) and was empty for about 2-3 years before that. The reason being that one of the adults in the home took their own life in the property a couple of years ago.

Initially when I heard I was a bit wary and wasn't sure if I'd want to buy somewhere that had held so much pain for the previous owners and where a traumatic death had occurred but the more I'm thinking about it I'm wondering if that's silly and I should go for it if it's still available when I'm ready?

Being so under budget would mean I could pay off earlier than anticipated and would financially be just massive for me under our current circumstances. It would also mean I'd be able to redecorate rather than having to live in it as is for a while and try to save. Its a fairly new build house too and homes in the area are well built and reliable.

The downside is that it's been empty for so long, and I'm wondering about the impact of the history of the house on my kids as its common knowledge what happened and they will probably be told at some point by friends on the street which could be upsetting for them.

So my albu:

Yabu - don't buy the house (please can you explain why you wouldn't)
Yanbu -I would buy or have bought under those circumstances before.

Yanbu
Realistically, a lot of us with older period properties (and even new houses), have absolutely no idea of the history of our houses and what may have gone on in the years before us.

My friend bought a house in which previous owner had done this. She also got it under budget and has made the house lovely.

it’s just bricks and mortar. People have died in houses.

I’d buy it. It’s bricks and mortar. Make it a happy place.

It would probably give me the heeby jeebies and put me off if I was in a position where I could afford to be a bit picky.

I wouldn’t care. You have to live in a new build to be sure nothing horrible went in a particular home, and we mostly live in houses 100+ years old. Suicide is probably not the worst thing. Imagine if it was a house where someone was physically or sexually abused - how is it not worse? Yet it’s just not known because it’s so hidden

Well I can probably give you a unique perspective. My daughter took her life in her (rented) house, in her bedroom. Six months ago. I would hope that it would become a happy family home… that would make me happy.

Yes if I liked it . It’s bricks and mortar. I think you need to think that it’s very unlikely the actual house added to his torment . If you think it would provide an opportunity to make you happy then embrace it . Unless it’s a new build all houses have pasts

I think the lady who lived in my house overdosed then went to hospital and didn't come home again. That's really sad but not something I gave a lot of thought to after we initially moved in. I was sensitive to it when neighbours spoke about her but it doesn't affect my feelings about the house. You'll forget about it largely with time and it'll be your home.

Those things could have happened in any house and you wouldn't even necessarily know.
That person was probably in a really bad place and deeply un unhappy. That wouldn't turn me away from a building. It would more likely make me feel compassionate that someone felt so sad. A few friends have died by suicide and I don't see it as 'bad energy' making. I see it as sadness and a feeling of not being able to cope.

But the house and enjoy it. It's a house. Bricks and paint.

I would go and look at it and see how it feels. A family member died the same way in a council property. I’m sure the people that later moved in were blissfully unaware. I think of all the properties that builders buy and renovate must often have people die in them possibly including my own home. You can make it a happy home op.

All kinds of things happen in houses. A baby was born not so long ago in my now bedroom. I love that.
Death is part of life, however it happened.
Redecorate, let in light and air and appreciate the decreased price tag. A house is just a house. You can make it a happy home.

This.

id be sad that someone took their iwn life if course, but it selling the house niw, im sure will be a relief to the family. YOU can make uf a happy house again!

Excellent that you'll have the ££ to redecorate if & start to build a happy future for your kids, the house & you! I'd do it!!

💕

My feeling is that lots of houses have had deaths occur in them. My house is almost 400 years old and I'd be absolutely amazed if no one has died here. On the flip side, there would have been births too. We had a visit from an elderly woman once who said she had been born here!

@Consideringbuying

I've just had another thought too, if it had been someone terminally ill in hospital who had chosen to 'come home to die' would you feel any differently?

They have both chosen that location to die.

Wouldn’t bother me!

Hmm I think it depends on whether that is something you'd think about a lot. I personally don't like certain history to be attached to a house but at the same time, you can make it your own and create your own happy memories there.

It wouldn’t even occur to me to think twice about this. I really wouldn’t care what happened in my house before I bought it.

I own a murder house.

Got it cheap as chips.

I did have the floorboards, joists and all the plaster work replaced in the room it happened in though.

It’s a house. My current house has definitely had someone die in it because it was built in 1769.

When my dad died we were the house’s first owners and it was a standard modern detached house. No way you’d ever know.

So sorry for your loss @BeKookyExpert

I wouldn’t buy a house where someone took their own life, no.

Houses where crimes take place are sometimes demolished because nobody wants to live there any more and my reasoning would fit with that.

Someone dying peacefully? I’d have no problem with that.

Do you live in it yourself though?

My brother bought a repossession house where the former owner had hung himself from the banister, you could still see where the rope had been. It never bothered him & he lived in the house for over 8 years, he was probably more traumatised by finding his partner in their bed with her lesbian lover than the suicide.

Why the joists? Was there blood that had seeped through the floor boards? 😯

Yes and other matter.

Body was there a while apparently.

The joists could've been saved but I thought it was better to start over.