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Ask Your REALTOR for a " Died in House" Report?

By Jeff Pearl

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA

October 24, 2013 04:38 AM

This is hilarious, but can also be serious depending on disclosure laws in your state. No one has ever asked me for a " DiedinHouse" report, and I think only one person in 10 years has asked me " Has anyone ever died in this house?" How would I know? It's not something I am concerned with in VA. I suppose anyone could google an address, or search police databases, or even ask neighbors if they had some reason for not wanting to buy a house that someone died in. Personally, I would be more worried about the house being used as a meth lab, or a gang hangout.

I see no reason I would ever spend $12.00 for one of these reports. Maybe someone buying a haunted house might buy a report just for curiosity, but the results can't always be accurate. I can think of 3 people right now that I know of that died in their house, yet obituaries and newspaper articles report that they died in the hospital. I'm sure that is common with many deaths.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Died-in-House/138819152943127

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Jeff Pearl / Lic in VA

Remax Distinctive - McLean VA

703-727-4876

Homes / Land / Farms / Historic

www.jeffpearlhomes.com

Equal Housing Opportunity Provider

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Sharon Parisi

United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX

Dallas Homes

I have only been asked this question once. For some, it is out of the question to live in a home where someone has died.

Oct 25, 2013 03:47 PM

Ann Sanders

Scottsdale, AZ

I lived in a town in northern Arizona named Prescott. I had a client who bought an old Victorian house that was a former hospital. It was built in 1902 and fully restored and was a beautiful property. The street hosts Halloween for the whole area and it you bought a house on Mount Vernon you were expected to buy enough candy for 3000 kids! Most residences spent over $1,500 each year on candy and then there were the decorations. My client lived there for 6 years and eventually got very depressed and died in the house! I always thought it must have had something to do with the feel of the house.

Oct 25, 2013 04:11 PM

Myrl Jeffcoat

Sacramento, CA

Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

What a great "late October" topic to help celebrate Halloween! I have never been asked the question, "Has anyone died in this house." I have had a few sellers disclose it. And, I know there is now a firm out there peddling "Died in the House" reports.

Normally, I think folks don't think too much about these things. However, I have been in homes that seemed to have a certain "feeling" about them, which I later learned had a little history.

More recently, a home in my own neighborhood, which experienced a murder about 20 years ago, was put up for sale and sold as a rental. A tenant moved in, and almost immediately began feeling a presence, and claimed an actual vision of the person who had been shot in that house. It was beyond spooky. . .The tenant quickly moved out!

Oct 26, 2013 01:59 AM

Joan Fitton

Keller Williams Southern Nevada - Mesquite, NV

CRS, ABR, RSPS, kw New Homes Ambassador

Not allowed to disclose in Nevada. However, the "diedinhouse" site may be helpful to some buyers who " really need to know".

Oct 26, 2013 04:24 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#75- Hi Cindy, True, and even those Meth lab reports won't be accurate.

#77- Hi Rafi, I don't think you're missing anything. Yes, good timing for Halloween!

#78- Hi Sharon, same with me. If someone asks, I suppose we can research and see what we can find.

#79- Hi Anita, 3000 kids, That's a lot of candy! They might have od'd on sugar.

#80- Hi Myrl, that's about how I look at it. I've been in those type of homes as well. People do feel and see images. A house I rented recently, the tenants kept seeing the same man come out of bathroom, walk to end of their bed, look at them a bit, then walk over to the window and disappear. They could describe him, what he was wearing, etc. More than one person saw him and at diffeent times, and all described him the same way.

#81- Hi Joan, In some cases, maybe we'll justvhave the potential buyer or tenant spend the $12.00 for a report that might or might not be accurate.

Oct 26, 2013 05:35 AM

Scott & Ann Carson

Bellevue, WA

Exceeding your Expectations

While here in Washington you do not need to disclose this information when we purchases our vacation home in California..I made a comment to the Realtor while we were signing our paperwork and said "At least no one has died in the house" to which he replied, "actually, there was a death in the house several years back" Apparently, in California you must disclose this information...it was just conveniently left out unitl we were in the midst of signing our life away! So, far so good we have owned it for 7 years now and no hauntings! thank goodness

Oct 26, 2013 07:58 AM

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI

WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

I never had anyone ask...but I do know a number of people who have had "treatments, rituals" etc. to rid homes of the spirits that remain in the house.

Oct 26, 2013 10:09 AM

Jared Garfield

Rich Life Real Estate Team - Buford, GA

Invest With The Best For The Highest Returns!

Jeff,

I have had people ask but never had any idea how to find out for sure, other than possibly calling the police department. Thanks for the resource, that is very interesting!

Oct 26, 2013 10:50 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#83- Hi Scott and Ann, That agent must have had a deal fall through because of death, otherwise, I don't see why any agent would be worried about disclosing a death in a house? Eventually, someone will probably die in every house.

#84- Hi Sally and David, I think it's rare for people to ask in this area. I have a friend that does paranoral investigations and peopel are always calling her to identify ghosts, etc.

#85- Hi jared, I think getting accurate info coan be difficult, and I doubt police have time to deal with calls for death information.

Oct 26, 2013 08:57 PM

Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ

Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ

HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Oh wow! I've never been asked for this report, but thanks for the link. Amazing what we learn in this business!

Oct 27, 2013 10:52 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#87- Hi Jan, Hopefully you won't get too amny requests.Pretty soon real estate agents will need a private investigators license.

Oct 27, 2013 10:10 PM

Sylvia Jonathan

Coldwell Banker Platinum Properties - Irvine, CA

Broker Associate, SFR

In California we have to disclose back 3 years. Of course it's best practice to disclose ANY knowledge of a death, especially if it was a suicide or crime. Most people are okay knowing that an old person died of natural causes, but buying a house where a double murder occurred is not everybody's cup of tea.

Oct 27, 2013 11:03 PM

Bob Miller

Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty - Ocala, FL

The Ocala Dream Team

Never been asked that, but have been asked if house was haunted.

Oct 28, 2013 04:14 AM

MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900

Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA

Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

I have clients that absolutely will not buy a home where someone died in it.

Oct 28, 2013 08:52 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#89- Hi Sylvia, So far, seems like only CA is required to disclose deaths, but yes, the manner of death I think is more important to many people.

#90- Hi Bob, Hopefully it won't become too much of a concern for most buyers.

#91- Hi Michelle, Some people and nationalities are like that. If I was in CA, I would ask buyers up front on their views on death homes.

Oct 28, 2013 11:27 PM

Marnie Matarese

DWELL REAL ESTATE - Sarasota, FL

Showing you the best of Sarasota!

This just cracks me up. When I am showing homes here in Florida, especially the older ones, I always answer the question with "I would be surprised if NO ONE has ever died in a house this old." Usually I get a laugh and we move on.

Oct 29, 2013 10:57 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#93- Hi Marnie, I know what you mean. there are so many house that people have died in, and in many cases, there is no way to know for sure.

Nov 01, 2013 01:36 AM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I do not recall ever being asked if someone died in the house. I did not know that reports were available.

Have a great weekend.

Nov 01, 2013 10:00 PM

Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties

Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN

The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Jeff, I think they report that the deceased died in the hospital because that is where the death certificate is signed. Years ago the obits stated exactly where they were when they died. Now it is so generic.

Nov 05, 2013 02:32 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#95- Hi Roy, I hope it doesn't catch on and people start asking more often. It's rare I get asked.

#96- Hi Debbie, Yes Debbie, that is probably true. That's one reason I think died in house reports are just someones best guess.

Nov 05, 2013 09:11 AM