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If your clients asks if a house or building is Haunted, can you tell them?

photograph by Robert Swetz

If your clients asks if a house or building is Haunted, can you tell them?

State Regulation across the country are different for disclosing if properties are Haunted or there has been a suicide or murder.

What are your State Regulations for clients asking you questions about these subjects.

In the State of Nevada it is a (No-No)! You can be fined and loss your license for disclosing such information.

Now on the other hand this building above the Goldfield Hotel in Goldfield Nevada is not for sale. And so I can tell you it is Haunted big time, (Ghost Busters) television program was visiting the Goldfield Hotel several months ago and there is so much Ghost activity going on around there it would make your head spin!

You know kind of like "The Exorcist" with Linda Blair.

The (photo below) is another very, very Haunted building in Goldfield, the school right next to the police station.

photograph by Robert Swetz

This lady I spoke with mentioned to me that police officers are always viewing and hearing very strange activity coming for the school.

And the home below on main street in Goldfield, very, very haunted!

photograph by Robert Swetz

And my last photo below is Haunted and I really like this one because if you look real close you can see the glass bottles used to build the walls sticking out the sides.

photograph by Robert Swetz

So if a client ever asks you if a home/ building is Haunted or if persons have been murdered or committed suicide in the home/ building, you better know your disclosures in the State where your license hangs.

photograph by Robert Swetz

"Have a wonderful day and Happy Haunting"

Story and photographs by Robert Swetz (Vegas Bob) - Please don't duplicate!

Posted by ROBERT A.SWETZ - Commercial Real Estate on 08/03/2009 06:22 PM

Comments (68)

If Your Clients Asks if a House or Building Is Haunted, Can You Tell Them? in the ActiveRain Channel

haunted houses buildings, haunted, ghosts, murder, suicide, disclosures, clients, goldfield nevada, express with words at activerain, photography by robert swetz

Originally posted at: ROBERT SWETZ/ LAS VEGAS - NEVADA: If your clients asks if a house or building is Haunted, can you tell them?

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68 Comments on If your clients asks if a house or building is Haunted, can you tell them?

AUG

Boo!

I have met people who are only interested in haunted houses. Never sold one. Boo

Bob, some pretty scary lookin places. I will have to do a bit of research, but I do believe it is a huge 'no - no' here in Tennessee to disclose such.

There are no "haunting" disclosures in Texas. There are disclosures on death caused by the property. IF someone slipped in the tub and died, this does not have to be disclosed. If someone was killed because of a drive-by shooting because the house was a drug house, this does have to be disclosed because the drug people might not know new people live there and they could potentially shoot up the house again.

Bob,

In Florida you are not required to disclose what we call a stigmatized property. Murder, death, suicide. I would think a haunted house would be catagorized as a stigmatized property.

In the State of Nevada if a client asks if a home/ building is haunted or someone has been murdered or committed suicide, you can't tell them anything!

Or you could possibly be in great danger from the Real Estate Division and the homeowner or client!

VB :)

Spooky photos! So what kind of ghosts are they? All friendly? Any cranky ones?

Lise - All kinds but mostly very hostel angry ones!

VB :)

The super building our house was murdered in the neighbor's house but the gunman was standing in our kitchen. Our house has a visitor but he is cool - for the most part. Check out David Farkus here on active rain, you may like some of his posts. I have been meaning to call him back for months because he is going to give me some advice.

Robert, you are a little early for spooking us for Halloween! eeeeeeeeeekkkk!

I do not know of any haunted houses here in IL. But , just be careful with your photos, ghosts might not like taking their "OWN HOME" pics :-) hahahah ... just kidding .....relax Robert.

In Pa we are not required to disclose murder -suicide - haunted. In the case of haunted houses I would consider that here-say. After all, it is in the eye of the beholder. After one too many Martinis any eye can behold anything. LOL

I have had a woman at an open house ask me almost immediately when she got in the door if anyone had died in the house? I thought she might be a medium or something. She gave me chills.

Bob...

I would think that nowadays, with all of the cable TV shows, having a haunted house would be "cool!"

Vegas Bob,

You are too funny. You caught me off-guard with your comment right after your post. Nice photos. I like the last photo with the shadow.

Gerry's AR signature

Hi Bob, We cannot disclose any information about a stigmatized property, unless OKed by the seller. Your buildings look haunted! I have been to "haunted" restaurants, and waited for the ghosts to appear, but I've never seen one -- I think that's OK.

Hi Robert, I felt that our house in Rockville MD was haunted when we lived there. We had one unexplainable event happen there.

AUG

Disclosure is not required in KS or MO. I would tell - especially if my clients thought that was important. Shirley, will you share?

We have a statute that covers HIV, haunted houses, deaths, and suicides. Even though disclosure is not required, there is no prohibtion on disclosure.

Bob, I don't believe that we are allowed to tell them, I will have check to be sure, no one has asked!

We have several haunted properties in our town. One was featured on Unsolved Mysteries years ago, and it just came back on the market. All of us old time agents remember the story. Good post - agents need to know their boundaries as do the customers. The wrong spirit in the house can make living there miserable. Others just seem to prank to inhabitants. Life is an adventure ... seems so can death if you die in the right house. Ha. Loved the "Boo!"

I, for one, would be furious to find out that I had bought a home where a murder, suicide or known (by everyone but me) haunting had taken place. This is a person's potential HOME and they have the right to this type of past information. Sounds like disclosing damaged goods is against the law in some states and NOT disclosing damaged goods in other states is against the law. Go figure...

Creepy! Not sure if I believe in ghosts, but I don't think I'd want to walk through those buildings either way.

I would ask them if they Want the House to be Haunted- and explain that I can't control the sprit world. I suggest any questions be put in writing and presented to the seller to answer. cw

Vegas Bob, your posts are always funny! :) Here in Oklahoma, part of our contract addresses these types of properties. Under our section that talks about inspections, one of the inspection types allowed are for 'Psychologically Impacted Property'. We also have one for 'Megan's Law.' I was told that we can't 'over disclose', but that this is something the seller should disclose. If it's bank-owned, for example, and we know about it, we are required by law to disclose it. There is actually a form for it on the disclosure. I'm not sure how it works on both sides, but I know that there's a form for the listing agent... Anyway, I'd love to hear some haunted house stories from people that have lived in them! :) I've never had the pleasure!

I showed a house a couple of months ago. I got to the property early to open it and turn lights on etc.

I was fine until I went to the upstairs which gave me an "eerie" feeling. The house is beautiful nothing like your pictures it was built in the early 1900's.

Anyways, after turning the lights on upstaris I went to the basement. Half of the basement was newer and the other half the original. I went into a wine cellar which was part of the original basement to turn the lights on and got a chill like there was something in there!

I went upstairs and was standing in the dining room looking out the window waiting for my clients and started hearing ...through the vent register a faint distinctive screaming, moaning coming from the cellar portion of the basement!!

I was so freaked out I went outside and called my daughter and told her. She said go back in the house so I can hear it.....hesitant to do so I walked back in the front door and a chill went through my body.

I ran outside probably looking like a loony bin...lol.

My clients then pulled up.

I had the husband go in first, of course I didn't tell them what just transpired (afraid that they wouldn't believe me) I was still freaking out.

But anyways, I had him go in first and after 5 minutes his wife turned to me and said, I don't have a good feeling in here. How can we find out if this house is haunted? I told her I could ask the other agent. What else could I say I was still trembling inside? So we're there for like 15 minutes and her kids started sensing things.

We get back to the kitchen where we started and my client screamed looking at me. She scared the you know what out of me because I was already on edge! I was like what???? She said to me your neck is bleeding, I put my hand on my neck and had blood on my hands...she grabbed a paper towel for me and it bleed until we got to the next house I couldn't get it to stop!

By then I was ready to run out the door. : P

We left and I didn't even want to show them other homes I just wanted to go home and digest what just transpired. I showed them other homes that were even older that evening and that was the only one we had an eerie feeling in.

None the less...the other agent emailed me requesting feedback.....twice! And both times I questioned if the house was haunted and both times he did not respond back.

I'll never forget that!

I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do! I do! I do! I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do! I do! I do! I do!

Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion

I would not have had a Ghost of a Chance of answering that question right. I don't want to spook away any buyers.

In Ontario Canada its mandatory of disclose this kind of info. i.e murder, suicide etc.

What a great post! I hope I never have to go into a haunted home like Jen went in(especially alone)! Wow that would send me out of that home in a hurry. BTW, I love your haunted pictures. Great blog! I like these haunted blogs. send us more!

www.charlottelakewyliehomes.com

In NC we are not required to disclose suicide, murders, or hauntings unless asked. But the law is such that if it is something that you would want to know about...disclose! Buyer Beware!!!

I asked a real estate attorney if we needed to disclose that a house was haunted and he said he didn't know of any law in CA governing the subject. Suicide and Murder yes but haunting... probably not because it would be too hard to prove in court. I don't want my clients to be unhappy in a haunted house so I would inform them of the rumors if I new of any... in writing.

I just taught this in Principle & Practice last night: In Connecticut, we do not need to disclose "immaterial facts" including murder, suicide, etc., unless asked by the buyers in writing. We cannot disclose if a current or previous owner suffered from an illness or HIV/AIDS.

Bob,

I can't wait to visit Goldfield! Is there a website I can go to and read more about your town? Do any live people reside in these buildings?

Kathy Opatka

Bob:

I appraised the Goldfield Hotel some years ago. (Do a Google search for Goldfield Hotel and you will find some really crazy stuff. I liked the one where they stated it was like a portal to the underworld or something like that. These guys get really imaginative.)

During my inspection, I really didn't notice anything spooky. However, I did climb up on the roof with an old Alaskan Pipeline worker who retired out there and it was colder than you know what that day.

If you guys would get a kick out of it, I may be able to dig up some old interior digital photos for your viewing pleasure...

I went in the rooms that the spook show freaks talk about. Nothing... Lots of leaks and building stress to be expected for a structure over 100 years old. Rich history.

As Certified General appraiser licensed in Nevada, I know of nothing that would prohibit me from disclosing the "haunted history" of a building as an appraiser in my appraisal practice. The more facts or information you gather and disclose as an appraiser, generally the better. Ghosts / hauntings are not an element of the Fair Housing Laws or Equal Opportunity housing laws to my recollection.

As far as brokers go, which Statute or case law example are you drawing your opinion from? I'm not questioning you, rather I'm just curious as I don't know specifically where in NRS (Nevada Revised Statutes) you are drawing your information on and I'm a licensed broker / salesman.

In the interest of fair dealing, I think it may be wise to disclose this for a commercial transaction such as the Goldfield Hotel. For commercial properties like the Goldfield Hotel, I would expect that the disclosure requirements are radically different than the single family disclosure requirements. Basically all the various disclosure laws in Nevada typically only deal with residential 1-4 family properties and most other properties (i.e. commercial) are exempt. Think of SRPD, Beltway Disclosure, Gaming Enterprise Disclosure, etc. - all those forms you have to sign if you are a single family buyer.

I guess our legislators figure you should already know what you're doing if you are buying commercial property...

This is a touchy subject and if your brokerage has legal counsel, I would get an opinion from them in writing before proceeding with a "Haunting / Ghost Disclosure" on the property type you are dealing with.

For the Goldfield Hotel, the haunted nature may actually be a selling point or attraction...

Bob:

How do you get around Question 11 on the SRPD if families are moving out due to the ghost activity?

http://red.state.nv.us/Forms/formsbytype.htm

I guess that's the seller's responsibility - perhaps not the agent's. The more I think about this, the more I would be inclined to refuse to accept the listing...

One last thing:

If you do go to Goldfield I highly recommend going to the cemetery.

The inscriptions on the tombstones provide for hours of entertainment - some folks at the turn of the century in early 1900's had a real good sense of humor.

It's almost like being at that Disneyland tour where they end in the grave-yard but in this case it's the real world. Highly recommended trip if you go out to Goldfield, Nevada.

Just loving this! I have definately staged a home that was haunted -- so it seemed to me! What a fun post!

I am not aware of disclosing haunted houses in Georgia. You have to disclose if someone died in the house only if you are asked about it. It is not on the disclosure forms.

I did have a client declare a house was haunted. It was the very best house he and his wife had looked at and it was a tremendous value. He decided it was haunted because he didn't want to buy it. He's never owned a house and his wife owns the house they currently live in. They still have not purchased a new house. The only thing haunted is his mind!!! lol

VB, any ideas as to why Goldfield is SO "Haunted"

I would like to thank every one for their comments, I didn't really expect this many and I will get back to as many as I can soon.

I would really like to give a special thanks to a Newbie at Activerain that appraised The Goldfield Hotel in Nevada and left some very wonderful comments. If you roll through some of the comments, pay special attention to any that Charles left, there very interesting.

Charles E. Jack IV, MAI (Charles E. Jack Appraisal & Consulting)

VB :0)

VB, I lived in a very haunted house in GA when I was much younger. Story for another time. As Don Fabrizio-Garcia said, the buyer has to request in writing, and the seller has to decide if they want to disclose.

I had buyers who refused to buy a house where someone had died, I told them they should only look at new construction.

Goldfield Hotel on the Roof

Above is an actual photo from the roof. Now you know why I tell I was freezing my butt off... (Yes those are snow flakes and it was a biting desert wind that you can only believe from experience... And I grew up in Wisconsin so I know cold weather. When it's blowing 50-70 mph gusts while snowing in the desert it's not fun...)

Charles - Great shot and I think we have more in common then Haunted buildings and living in Las Vegas! I was born and raised in Minneapolis - Minnesota and it looks like I may have just found a new Appraiser in Las Vegas - Nevada.

VB :0)

Well in Basement

Here is a photo of a well / mine shaft in the basement area. A cable channel special denoted this as the "The Bowels of Hell" in the building from which forth the portal to the netherworld is accessed. The story is that small unwanted children born out of wedlock were thrown down here... :-)

All I can tell you is that it was pitch black down there. I navigated around the basement with light from my cell phone and my camera flash. I think property manager had a flashlight I gave him from my glove compartment...

Actually didn't find it that creepy. Foreclosure homes with nasty remnants much scarier than this place in my opinion.

Wow Charles you are going to scare some members around here with your stories of The Goldfield Hotel in the State of Nevada!

By the way Charles, Have you read my latest post it has your name written all over it! And thanks for keeping the post alive!

VB :0)

Goldfield First Floor

All right. So here's the hallway leading down to the infamous Room 109. This is the area reputed to be haunted by a ghost named Elizabeth who became pregnant by owner George Winfield.

I didn't really feel anything but a hotel that would need some serious renovation before opening to the public.

See here for more information:

http://www.scaryforkids.com/goldfield/

Wow - Charles this is some great stuff and I spoke to some woman about Room 109, this woman also mentioned to me that the owner of the Goldfield Hotel will let you stay at the hotel.

Maybe Vegas Bob should contact the owner and stay in Room 109 and follow up with a great post and photos like your showing here!

VB :0)

photograph by Robert Swetz

Goldfield Hotel Shot from Highway

Another Goldfield Shot

Above are some of my better looking exterior photos of the Goldfield Hotel from the Highway.

Yeah, Bob... We could have a "non-paranormal" real estate professional's investigation of the property and set up video and cameras and the whole nine yards and spoof some of these cable shows. We could get footage of you running madly down the hallway from Room 109 yelling incoherently about falling ADR's, plunging occupancies, and skyrocketing cap rates. Then I could come in and put you at ease with some soothing "Developer Speak" noting that "I believe it is an excellent time to capitalize on the lucrative historical property development opportunity at the Goldfield Hotel by recreating once again the synergestic environment between the residents of Goldfield and their historical roots."

More Seriously, it wouldn't suprise me if the Goldfield Hotel is like the Nevada real estate developer's version of the Blair Witch Project.

The current owner of the Goldfield Hotel bought the property for like a couple hundred grand at a tax sale. (That's my recollection - please correct me if you know more details because this was long after I appraised it.)

You have to understand the marketing history of the property but there was a push to actually renovate Goldfield Hotel in the late 80's and the nostalgia and ghost factor was something they were trying to promote. They actually had a marketing plan in an old brochure that I remember seeing that referred to the ghost / haunting stuff. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of this stuff is just made up and they sent "paranormally sensitive" people out there on these cable shows to hype the place. I've personally been inside the property and I didn't feel creeped out in there at all. The whole haunted house thing out there may be a "Scooby Doo" plot where most of this is just made up so it would become a destination trip for thrill seeking ghost hunters.

Honestly, I didn't really find the place creepy. Much creepier and dingier joints in Vegas in my opinion.

Shots of Goldfield from the Roof of Hotel

Above, I think that's looking towards the courthouse...

Shot from Roof of Goldfield Hootel Looking at Back of School

Above is kind of top-down view looking from the roof of the Goldfield Hotel towards the old school...

School

Above is a ground level shot of the old school...

I liked Andrea's comment about buying a new home if they don't want to buy a home where someone has died.

Then I started thinking about Poltergeist (homes built on Indian burial grounds) or if a laborer had died on the site building the home.

I would just tell the buyer that I can't make any guarantees and they may want to hire a priest, shaman, witch doctor, medium, etc. to consult with before they make their purchase decision.

In Ontario the obligation is to disclose any fact that could have an impact on value. I suppose murder and suicide are facts, but I'm not quite sure about "ghosts".

We haven't quite reached the "psychological Impact" stage. But, maybe soon!

Brian

Charles - I have a brand new Sony digital movie camera and Nikon still cameras, I think it would be exciting to spend a weekend up at the Goldfield Hotel. I have seen ghosts several times in my life and I can tell if a place is haunted.

I really like your idea of me or someone running from Room 109,etc, etc! Post the film on (U-Tube), Twitter, Facebook, Activerain and more.

I will give you a call this week some time and her is one of my strange groups at Activerain, and I will send you invites to some of my great normal groups later! PARANORMAL STORIES & EXPERIENCES

VB :0)

AUG

Vegas Bob - I love the photographs of the old buildings. In St. Louis, these are exactly what the buildings looked like before they were rehabbed. I have never met a ghost in the old hospitals, churches, or schools that I have listed for sale. However, I have had people swear that they felt a presence in one of the hospitals. To me, it is seemed a bit wacky... but who knows.

I'm going to have to research it for California. I sold a condo about a year ago and my client swears it is haunted. We've actually done some rituals to cast out spirits in the place! She's not freaked out or anything, but has asked me if we'd need to disclose when she sells. I'm not sure what there is to disclose when it comes to this- it's not something you can actually very. I can see it on the Transfer Disclosure statement : "strange noises, doors slam for no reason, the TV turns off and on by itself"- potential buyers might thing we were nuts!LOL!

Can't WAIT to see your and Charles' video! Lots of great comments here, esp. #23, 26 & 27. BTW - I have had a client run out of a house because she was so 'creeped out'.

Oh my gosh, the liability!!! Here in Cali we have to disclose deaths within a 3 year time period, but not if the homeowner or someone else died on the property of HIV or AIDS. I have felt slightly creeped out in some homes when Im by myself in them. I heard of a ghost story in a house up here from an older agent that used to clean houses here. I think it would be cool to have a lot of agents meet up at that hotel and have a show for hgtv....even if it was just one. That reality tv I would watch!

Love the stories and the pics. Keep em coming!

We don't have to say anything about the house if it doesn't effect it's marketability. No murders, either or hauntings. In Illinois, that's the law. We did have a seller kill his wife in a house once and wrap her up in a carpet, put firewood on her and stash her in the garage. People did notice the cut out in the carpet that the police took for a blood type match. It's great to sell real estate isn't it?

I was sitting waiting for someone in Border Books here in Schaumburg and there are many, many books about haunted places in Chicago if anyone is interested. They have tours even!

Ghost stories can be exciting until you acutually run into one, then yikes lets get out of here!

Savannah , Ga & the downtown historic district -- plus our plantations are famous for ghost stories, some more than others. And how many books have been written on all the Specters?? We even have several haunted ghost tours -- company's by hearst, walking -- and doing haunted pubs. Even one tv crew was in the area -- down here several yrs ago to document ghosts at the 1790 Inn.

Have sold several possible ghost homes?? who is to say if there are ghosts-- when homes in the historic area can date back to the1700's ---But what is a ghost home??-- and how would you disclose -- when some may see and others may not--. And some may want ghosts and others not--

and Big Question ?? how do you verfy a ghost to put on a sellers disclosure?? Would love some feedback on this-- andrea

AUG

Looks like this whiole area is just one big Ghosttown... Great place of a large Halloween festival...

AUG

Bob: We can't disclosure it in Colorado either. Disappointing because my brother, and my sister (who is my business partner) are "ghost hunters"! His website is www.spiritpi.com. They do investigations here in the Denver area. Very cool photos!

AUG

Bob - I too work in Colorado and have had several instances of homes where someone has died, either naturally or unnaturally as well as "haunted" properties. Although we cannot "disclose" a murder or suicide, if someone asks, I always suggest that they contact the local police or sherriff's office for more information.

I too showed a home where the carpet had been cut around a body....CSI meets "homes for sale." My feedback to the listing broker was that the carpet needed replacing!

I had one client who wouldn't make any offer on a home until her daughter toured the house and gave her an okay that it wasn't haunted. Sure enough, the daughter gave a thumbs down on a house that just didn't feel right....and yes, apparently there had been some weird stuff going on over the years.

A side note - I do a lot of work in the historic towns of Black Hawk and Central City...most of the little Victorian homes have two front doors....one for when a man brought his bride to his home and the second for when they carried her out in a casket....my guess, there isn't an old home in these two communities that hasn't had somebody die in it.

Things do change, don't they?

AUG

I believe you do have to disclose that kind of stuff in California, Bob. I know you have to disclose if there has been a murder in the house before it is sold. I think this is also true for hauntings. I saw that episode of "Ghost Hunters" as well as some other special about the Goldfield Hotel.

AUG

Wow VB! You really got them going on this one. The one thing I can tell the agent who told her client to only look at new homes, is that's not necessarily a solution. Ask David Farkas and he'll tell you that excavation, etc can disrupt energy that may attach itself to a new construction. Or one of the workers could have fallen off the roof...

AUG

This is great! I always loved watching those shows on TV about Haunted Houses, but I would never actually go to one!!! You guys should go, and make a AR blog Video all about it! =D

AUG

I know in KS as far as haunted houses go we are not allowed to confirm nor deny anything. The only think we are able to say is they are able to get it investigated if they would like to. One of my first clients wanted a haunted house so we looked at a lot of old houses and a few gave me the creeps. She psyched herself out on one of them thinking she heard something and we wrote a contract that night. I never said yes it was or no it was not. I talked to her a few days ago and she found out what the noises she was hearing was. It turned out to be a mouse, but she loves the home none the less

SEP

I would like to thank every one for their comments and your comments are very important to me. If for any reason you ask me a question in your comment and I do not come back with a reply to your comment please send me a email. I write about so many different things and post so many photographs I lose track.

Once again thanks for your comments and "Have a wonderful day"

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