Would you view/buy this house with a dark past?

[medicinewoman182]

Hello,

I'm after your opinions or personal experiences of buying a house with a dark past.

The house in question is a really well presented, 3 x bed semi in a suburb just outside of leeds in a sought after area. Decorated fantastically, a lovely street/neighbourhood, schools, transport, shops and nightlife nearby. Basically ticks all of our boxes.

EXCEPT.......

Back in 2012, there was a murder. The father has a psychotic episdoe, killed his wife in the kitchen, daughter in the living room and his second daughter and dog were found alive but shaken.

My first thought was NO, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS.
But I've been researching and thinking about it a lot and may be coming round to the idea.

The house didn't kill those people, he did, and he's in HMP for life!
IF, and thats a big IF, there are any ghosts, ghouls or spirirts there, it's fairly reassuring knowing that they were good people, and wouldn't be out for revenge.
I would say most houses have had somebody die in them (granted not under the circumstances) at some point.

So basically, I want to know what you guys think.
I think we are going to view it, and get a feel for the place. I might run out screaming, or get a good feel and want to make it a happy, loving home once again.

P.S. It has been lived in since then, we would be the second owners since the incident.

If you did buy the house then maybe get a priest to perform a blessing/anti-ghoul thing?! I'm not terribly religious and don't particularly believe in ghosts but I think I might do this in your situation in the hope that the house could 'start again' as a happy home. (I've got my hard hat on and am prepared to be told I'm completely nuts!)

I do agree about people coming to stare at the house though. Can you find out why the current owners are moving?

Didn't people used to have a wake over the corpse, like a lying in state, but with the body in the front room in its coffin?

People still do that where I live.

It's like buying a property on a busy street, a house with no off street parking or next to a pub or a graveyard (no ghosties but usually partying drunk kids, people using drugs and/or prostitution/sex) - the resale value is affected. Not sure about the area but that seems a lot of money.

Thank you all for your feedback. It's given me a lot to think about.

I think a viewing is in order along with talking to the owners and neighbours and see how we feel after that

Didn't people used to have a wake over the corpse, like a lying in state, but with the body in the front room in its coffin?

I appreciate that people die in houses all the time and I live in Ireland so am used to wakes, it's the fact that people were brutally murdered in the house that would give me the heebie jeebies.

Scrubba, this is very different to an old lady dying in bed. This is a little girl and her mother and it was an axe and knife murder five years ago at the hands of the husband and father. It's the little girl being killed by an axe that does me in.

Years ago they used to knock down houses where dreadful things happened

'Years ago they used to knock down houses where dreadful things happened'

And it's sometimes still done, but it's quite impractical to destroy everything were 'dreadful things' happened.

As for 'It's different from an old lady dying in bed', the only house we lived in as a family that had a bad vibe/unexplained events was one where an old lady had died peacefully in bed. She was apparently a nasty piece of work in life.

He could be out in 11years thats the point I was trying to make, He's a psychotic killer, What if the first place he went was 'home'

Bloody hell. If they knocked down every house in N Ireland that had seen a murder there would be a lot of strange gaps in the housing stock.

Obviously I know the OPs post isn't in N Ireland, I'm just thinking of my own area

Personally I wouldn't want to live in a house that had something so horrific happen so recently. Yes people die all the time and lots of houses have bad histories but these are pretty extreme circumstances and I wouldn't be able to relax thinking about it.

There's a big difference between a wake and what happened in that house. Personally I couldn't live there knowing the history.

A young lad I went to school with hung himself off the living room door in my old flat.
Didn't realise until after I moved in and neighbour told me she found him.
I never felt anything when I lived there, it was a peaceful happy wee place. Go view it, see how it feels!
If it's perfect, don't let it's past put you off!

I think the only concern for me would be reselling when the time comes. If you are hesitant than others will be too and you may have difficulty selling.

No way.

It wasn't just a death. Horrifically brutal murder. One of the reports says a police officer had to resign due to being so traumatised by the scene.

I came on to say I would but what PP said about the man possibly returning to the scene of the crime if he were released early or escaped completely put me off.

I don't think I could.

I've just googled for more info and I wouldn't even go to view now. I'd find it just too sad. The little girl who survived is now only 9 years old.

I really think the souls of that poor family will be somewhere better than the scene of their untimely death.
If it was someone dying of natural causes I probably would be okay.
I have watched way to many horror films to be able to live there. Also I would think of their terror 24/7 as I'm too empathetic. Have you not seen Sinister?

No I wouldn't. Having read the details of the murder, it was horrific and I'm afraid that scene would play on my mind.

I would not be at all worried about ghosts, but I would feel sad in that house because of those circumstances, so no, i wouldn't buy it.

No way. Not now I've read the reports. Not because of ghosts but because I would always think about it.. it's quite different to a house where an old person has died peacefully. Also think that it / you would always be a curiousity to other people living locally - imagine ringing up for a pizza and giving that address for delivery, which many people locally will know.

Lovely house but I honestly couldn't do it

Not sure if I could. Would definitely have to view for the 'feeling'. If the sellers are moving because of anything related to the horrific murders there I doubt they'd tell you. They will already have thought of a plausible reason as they'll know that every potential buyer will be asking. If you do view please come back and tell us your thoughts.

My main worry was him returning there after his release. It's the only place he'll know and people do go back. Definite no from me I'm afraid.