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Original poster

Would you buy this house? TW-suicide

204 replies

Consideringbuying · 03/04/2026 22:27

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.

OP posts:
kkloo · 04/04/2026 02:48

BeKookyExpert · 03/04/2026 23:51

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.

No words really, but I am so sorry 💐

Darkladyofthesonnets · 04/04/2026 04:30

Perhaps the local vicar or priest could give the house a blessing.

OtterlyAstounding · 04/04/2026 04:43

Think about the sheer amount of child sexual abuse, rape, and domestic violence that must have taken place in most older houses - and you'd never know about it. Frankly, those seem more disturbing and 'haunting' to me than a suicide.

As for your kids, they might take a morbid thrill in being in the 'suicide house', or they might not care at all.

I don't think it's a big deal, and that's a great saving. I'd go for it.

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 04/04/2026 04:50

This happened in my house two years before I bought it. I had absolutely no idea but the local shopkeeper told me.

It doesn't bother me at all- the guy was mentally ill and had stopped taking his medication. To me it's the same as someone dying in the house from any other illness

OtterlyAstounding · 04/04/2026 04:50

Nothung · 03/04/2026 23:19

You’re just responding to the architecture/decor/ whatever story you’ve been told about it.

Show quote history

I'm not a 'woo' sort of person at all, but this isn't true for me. Over my lifetime I've noticed that very similar, ordinary, empty houses have evoked different feelings in me, and I've never known anything about their histories.

Many houses have given me a faintly 'creepy' feeling at night walking down the dark hall to the loo for instance, but the house we're currently in feels incredibly 'safe', and it's a 1930's NZ farmhouse build that's got no frills, just the same as several others we've lived in.

Some houses just feel different - I don't know why.

Lampzade · 04/04/2026 05:06

I wouldn’t buy it tbh.

MikeRafone · 04/04/2026 05:12

It’s bricks and mortar and will make you a secure family home.

people die at home, it’s part of life. Every house I’ve lived in someone has died at home in

LivingTheDreamish · 04/04/2026 05:26

I would definitely go for a look around and see how I felt. I think that once you have moved in and it's become your home it will cease to be a factor (but the money you save will have a big impact on your future).

NoArmaniNoPunani · 04/04/2026 05:30

I'm still living in the house my husband died in. If ghosts even exist he's clearly too lazy to bother haunting me. I've never felt any kind of presence .

Inthenameoflove · 04/04/2026 05:34

I would buy it and then ask a priest to come and bless the house (as my spirituality).

YerMotherWasAHamster · 04/04/2026 05:42

I'd buy it. I'd be concerned the price was because there's something wrong with either the house or the neighbours so I'd need to get that checked out independently.

Happyreddormouse · 04/04/2026 06:08

OtterlyAstounding · 04/04/2026 04:50

I'm not a 'woo' sort of person at all, but this isn't true for me. Over my lifetime I've noticed that very similar, ordinary, empty houses have evoked different feelings in me, and I've never known anything about their histories.

Many houses have given me a faintly 'creepy' feeling at night walking down the dark hall to the loo for instance, but the house we're currently in feels incredibly 'safe', and it's a 1930's NZ farmhouse build that's got no frills, just the same as several others we've lived in.

Some houses just feel different - I don't know why.

Show quote history

I would agree with this.

We moved house about 4 years ago and selecting a property was problematic because I rejected so many .My DH was getting a bit fed up with me !
Some looked very good on paper but just stepping into the hallway made me feel uneasy, so they were crossed off the list.
The one we did buy had a good "feel"to it. It had been owned by a Health Professional who had died (but not in the house).
Even so, I asked the local priest to come round and bless it, which he did.

fluffyprawn · 04/04/2026 06:11

My house was built in the 1400s and plenty of people have probably died (from the plague no less!) and were born here. Still a wonderful cosy atmosphere !

Cominghomesoon · 04/04/2026 06:33

The previous owner of my house passed away on the upstairs landing, he was found by the next door neighbour who hadn't seen him for a few days. It was a sad situation as he lived on his own and had medical issues. It never bothered me when we moved in 40 years but I still think about it after all this time.

Rounder888 · 04/04/2026 06:49

Buy it, get it blessed and saged maybe. I would feel bad for the house, it would be nice for it to have a family there again after something so sad happening in it!

Nofunnybusiness · 04/04/2026 07:28

I want to say buy it, what a bargain! But when DH and I were looking for our 1st house we viewed one for sale as owners were divorcing and I didn't even like that. 😂

Beetlebum89 · 04/04/2026 07:45

I'd absolutely buy it, but I'd also have it blessed/cleansed, but I'm mildly superstitious. If you do buy it, I hope you and your kids make lovely memories and have many happy years there.

pouletvous · 04/04/2026 07:51

Our house is 130 years old

we have no idea who died there nor what circumstances

buy the house, make it a happy home

WhaleEye · 04/04/2026 07:52

It’s bricks and mortar and a great chance to start a new life with your family. I bet there are 10000s houses in the UK where awful things have happened and the buyers are unaware.
It’s what happens going forward that is important-go for it!
I also reckon that the person who died would be pleased someone had turned it into a happy place to live.

Beaton234 · 04/04/2026 07:54

I don't think I would, but I carry some trauma from the suicide of a family member.
A peaceful death from old age wouldn't bother me too much, but a suicide would.

Bikergran · 04/04/2026 07:55

I have always lived in old houses. There is a fair chance that those houses have had several deaths in them, traumatic or otherwise. I am quite open to the idea of psychic "vibes" and have never had these in any of those houses. I think you should take the opportunity to get a bigger/better house because of other people's reluctance to buy it. However, I would pay for a very thorough survey, as maybe that isn't the only reason it hasn't sold. If that is good and you buy, but you still feel a bit nervous, you could have the house blessed/exorcised/smudged/feng shuid, whatever would help you.

Doggymummar · 04/04/2026 07:57

Consideringbuying · 03/04/2026 22:27

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.

We bought a house in D3cember where the owners had passed I didn't ask how or where, we felt a presence so we saged and it has been calm since. I would go for it.

Doggymummar · 04/04/2026 07:58

Rounder888 · 04/04/2026 06:49

Buy it, get it blessed and saged maybe. I would feel bad for the house, it would be nice for it to have a family there again after something so sad happening in it!

Yes that's what we did and it's great now

Muffinmam · 04/04/2026 07:59

I would buy it. People die in houses all the time. I don’t understand why it hasn’t been purchased yet.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 04/04/2026 08:01

Well, I saw a programme where a couple had bought the flat/house where Dennis Nielsen committed his crimes. I couldn’t live there.

Friend of a friend bought a house, icily chilly in one room only, found out afterwards it was the room where someone committed suicide.

In your case though OP if you hadn’t known about this before knowing of the house then would you buy it? I probably would.