Looking at a rental house, that had a death occur

[Lakewood90712]

I am looking at rental houses to buy as an investment. One had a death occur, inside, and as such in CA , it must be disclosed to a prospective buyer for 3 years after the death. I believe it must also be disclosed to a prospective tenant, for the same 3 year time frame.

Wouldn't bother me, but might a tenant. Take the risk of being harder to find a tenant , or lower rent ?

In Hollywood, if a celebrity dies in a house , it's considered a "feature", this place doesn't qualify.

 

[aja8888]

I am looking at rental houses to buy as an investment. One had a death occur, inside, and as such in CA , it must be disclosed to a prospective buyer for 3 years after the death. I believe it must also be disclosed to a prospective tenant, for the same 3 year time frame.

Wouldn't bother me, but might a tenant. Take the risk of being harder to find a tenant , or lower rent ?

In Hollywood, if a celebrity dies in a house , it's considered a "feature", this place doesn't qualify.

You generally don't pick your place to die, and I'd believe a lot of people die at home. Three in my family have in the last several years. I don't think it's a show stopper.

Actually, my next door neighbor (older widow) was found dead in her home last Christmas day. The house sold with no issue.

 

[Meadbh]

If it was natural causes, no problem. If it was a murder, that's another story!

 

[TrvlBug]

My mom died at home and we sold the house w/in the year in the late 90s (SF Bay Area). Multiple offers. A violent death might be different, but then again, it would depend on the housing market in your area.

 

[calmloki]

Currently living in the house our long time neighbor died in. Have had several deaths in rental apartments - a suicide by gunshot and an "accidental" death by gunshot. We disclosed, though not required to in Oregon. Neither have been any problem to get rented, though we did do new paint and carpet. Main issue with the rentals was dealing with it personally.

 

[Walt34]

Well, unless it was caused by a poltergeist....

Otherwise, no problem.

 

[travelover]

Most people die, eventually.

 

[ejman]

Most people die, eventually.

Interesting. If you are aware of any that don't would you mind sharing some of the particulars?

 

[marko]

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts....

 

[WhoDaresWins]

It wouldn't bother me provided it wasn't a murder. That would bother me and I would not rent the house nor would I buy it.

 

[38Chevy454]

Most people die, eventually.

I would like to be one of the exceptions to that! However odds are I am in the majority.


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[heeyy_joe]

If it becomes haunted, maybe you could charge the heirs of the deceased rent. Check Ca law, this house could be a goldmine!

 

[unno2002]

Awhile back, we put an offer, did inspections, etc. on a decent prospective rental, and during the process found that the son of the owner, while the son was living in the house, murdered a young girl.Maybe it's just us, but we found a reason to drop the deal.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

We had a house a few miles away that a man was violently murdered. The perp is still at large, no motive was ever disclosed and the house backs up to a cemetery. When it finally hit the market (about 6 months after the murder) it had 7 offers and was under contract the same day. It sure didn't seem to dissuade any buyers!


It's sad to drive by there around Christmas as he always had a great display but that has been absent the last couple of years.

 

[MRG]

We bought a place to later learn the original owner was killed in an accident mowing around one of the ponds. Later we found out his ashes had been scattered around the property. Really didn't bother us. When I realized the Ford 8N we had bought with the property had at some point been rolled, it all clicked. I was operating the same machine the fellow died on mowing around the same ponds.

I still would have bought the place.

The 8N did get a "third brake" installed to prevent the brush hog powering the tractor when the clutch was disengaged; probably the cause of his death.

 

[tryan]

Had a multi family in the hood that had 4 unrelated deaths in it over 13 years. The worst was a hanging and shooting.

People have short memories. The only vacancies caused by the deaths were the deaths themselves ... no reputations/karma issues.

 

[Car-Guy]

Most people die, eventually.

If that's the case, I guess I should consider increasing my annual WR.

 

[easysurfer]

But the question is, are there a lot of unusual cold spots in the house?

I bet someone dying in the house naturally isn't that uncommon as if given a choice, most prefer to die at home than at the hospital or a nursing home.

 

[eytonxav]

This must be a California thing

 

[Terryjm51]

We bought a place to later learn the original owner was killed in an accident mowing around one of the ponds. Later we found out his ashes had been scattered around the property. Really didn't bother us. When I realized the Ford 8N we had bought with the property had at some point been rolled, it all clicked. I was operating the same machine the fellow died on mowing around the same ponds.

I still would have bought the place.

The 8N did get a "third brake" installed to prevent the brush hog powering the tractor when the clutch was disengaged; probably the cause of his death.

I had a tractor just like that growning up. When the clutch was pushed in with the brakes the brush hog would continue to push the tractor. I got to the point you had to time your stopping distance . Even as a teen I thought it was a little unsafe.


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[Amethyst]

I can't see any relevance to a death in the house, unless a) the house "caused" it through some dangerous feature or b) the person died of a disease like anthrax that could leave potentially deadly spores.

If the neighborhood itself isn't crime-ridden, then why does a violent death matter? Do people suppose the murderers are waiting for a new owner to show up so they can kill you, too? Now, a house that has been broken into more than once: I might worry that it has security issues, such as backing to a cheapo neighborhood (common enough in rapidly expanding areas like the Raleigh-Durham Triangle).

Amethyst

 

[Sunset]

We bought a place to later learn the original owner was killed in an accident mowing around one of the ponds. Later we found out his ashes had been scattered around the property. Really didn't bother us. When I realized the Ford 8N we had bought with the property had at some point been rolled, it all clicked. I was operating the same machine the fellow died on mowing around the same ponds.

I still would have bought the place.

The 8N did get a "third brake" installed to prevent the brush hog powering the tractor when the clutch was disengaged; probably the cause of his death.

Creepy, did you wash it or paint it ?

We bought a house, the fellow was pretty decent about his death, went for a private plane ride and it crashed. So no new carpeting

 

[Lakewood90712]

I don't have to worry about the house I was looking at, offers over listing price have come in, so I'm out, no longer a bargain price.

On the same subject , many years ago, a rental townhouse near where I was living had a triple murder by arson. Drunk party guest was thrown out , returned about 4am, got the front door open , dumped a can of gas and a match. The 3 occupants upstairs were killed. Relatively new structure, fire damage could be easily repaired , but the owner decided to tear it down, and rebuilt on the existing foundation. I think most of the cost came out of his pocket, no insurance co. I know of would do more than repair.

I was a teenager at the time, a real eye opener on life . Still get a sick feeling when I drive down that block.

 

[cbo111]

So, for those of you who would shy from a murder-scene house, what exactly is you concern? That "bad spirits" will remain in the home to torment future occupants?

 

[MichaelB]

So, for those of you who would shy from a murder-scene house, what exactly is you concern? That "bad spirits" will remain in the home to torment future occupants?

Don't you go to the movies or read Stephen King novels? Dead people become angry ghosts and stick around to do all kinds of nasty things to new inhabitants.