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Old 07-13-2011, 03:47 PM
 
109 posts, read 551,968 times
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My friend bought a house two years ago really cheap. It is beautiful and quite new. She just found out someone committed suicide by hanging himself in there from the old neighbor. It happened just three or four years ago. She now wants to walk out of the mortgage. She is very sensitive, I would say even more on a hysterical side and has two small children, she wants out badly but can't sell it because it's upside down on mortgage. I was in there and it looks and feels like a normal house with no ghost activity.
She actually went as far as moved her family out and is renting at this moment. She even thought of suing the real estate agent, but he changed jobs.
I don't think it would bother me this much. If it was rental, I would probably move at the end of the lease, but if it was your house, would you leave? Do you think she is acting crazy?

I say, the neighbor should have kept to herself. She even showed her pictures of the deceased in the newspaper!
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Old 07-13-2011, 03:53 PM
 
2,059 posts, read 5,727,393 times
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In some states a seller is required to inform a buyer of a death in the property. That may be an angle.

If your friend is so sensitive perhaps she needs to do better research before buying next time. I personally did not want to buy a place near me where the previous owner had died, so I understand her feeling. But if she's lived there 2 years already, she probably needs to get over it. It can't be worth destroying her credit over it.
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Old 07-13-2011, 03:55 PM
 
Location: NYC
7,364 posts, read 14,627,920 times
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I suspect most of us live in a house in which someone died, whether by natural causes, murder or suicide. Unless it is new construction, it's probably happened as some point. I wouldn't sweat it.
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Old 07-13-2011, 03:56 PM
 
Location: Florida
16 posts, read 180,490 times
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I had lived in a house where an old lady died. While it was unpleasant when I thought about it, it never occurred to me to move out and sell. But of course, if I knew about it before buying I would think twice. It better be a REALLY good deal
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Old 07-13-2011, 03:59 PM
 
220 posts, read 833,601 times
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She can't sue anybody. The seller isn't obligated to disclose death in the house unless the buyer(s) ask. She can rent the place out though.
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:04 PM
 
Location: Boise, ID
8,046 posts, read 28,352,315 times
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In my state, a seller and their agent are not only not required to disclose a stigmatized property, they can refuse to disclose even if asked directly in writing. Of course saying "I refuse to answer that question" is as good as a confirmation, but they are legally allowed to do so. They are under no obligation to volunteer the information.

However, different states, different rules. Your state may have it on the disclosure form, in which case, it might have been disclosed and your friend just didn't notice.

If it is required to be disclosed, the liability would probably be with the seller, not the agent, unless the agent knew and didn't say anything. The seller may never have told the agent.

Honestly though, this sort of thing is usually available online. A person who is sensitive to this sort of thing should always google any address they are looking to move into to see what comes up. Also google the seller's name. Your friend should have taken the 30 seconds to look it up if it was going to be an important issue.
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:06 PM
 
2,222 posts, read 10,617,550 times
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It sounds like she has a fear of death in general. Many homes have had deaths in them. In fact, how does she know for sure the home she now rents is death free? Does she also avoid hotels and friends homes she visits? People die in all sorts of places.

If the home she bought is in Florida, I do not believe a death in the home would need to be disclosed. It doesn't sound like the Real Estate Agent did anything wrong. Different states have different disclosure laws.

She will put her credit in jeopardy if she walks on the mortgage. So yes, I think she is acting a little hysterical at this point. After all, she did live in the home without any ghostly problems for awhile.
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:11 PM
 
Location: Florida
16 posts, read 180,490 times
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Strange. I thought in Florida they are required to disclose such things. In fact, the house I lived in, when we tried to sell it I mentioned someone's death to the real estate agent, and he said he will have to disclose to a buyer. But ONLY if the buyer asks
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:12 PM
 
10,102 posts, read 19,297,579 times
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Ok, I think she just wants to get out of her mortgage, but there may be something to her side.

I grew up in the same house all my life. I was always terrified of the basement, one corner in particular. Well, years later, I asked my mother if anything weird had happened in that house. At first, my mother was reluctant to disclose this, but then told me that before they bought the house, a man hung himself in the basement, in the exact corner I was terrified of.The fact didn't deter my parents from buying the house, and we spent many happy years there. However, I always had a sense of dread in that corner, wonder why? There just could be something to all this paranormal stuff!
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:25 PM
 
109 posts, read 551,968 times
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I also lived in an apartment where a neighbor died from old age. They put her coffin in the basement (without her, of course), and as I was a teen, I was always afraid to go by this place for a while. It's just creepy to this moment. We had about ten deaths in the complex during several years. The whole family of parents and a young girl - my friend - committed suicide in another neighbor apartment. I guess when things like that happen a lot to you, you become less sensitive.
I will advise my friend to rent it out for awhile and then to try to go back. She does keep up the mortgage and the rent, so I know she is responsible. Maybe with time the creepy part will fade. Maybe she will sell it out and buy a new one, I hope. My husband thinks she has OCD.
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