I have no idea what past our home has had, other than that it was a dodgy rental and once housed foster kids. Frankly, I don't care what history the house has and I don't think you should either. If it suits your needs and the dark history makes it a screaming deal, run with it and enjoy the discount.

I wouldn't start my home with bad heebeejebees. I feel like it would be different if someone died of old age and/or natural causes. And I'm not particularly religious, but I would "feel" out the house. Bad vibes are bad vibes. And no vibes at all may be ok. Good luck. That's a tough decision!

I was just wondering about this...there is a condo across the street for sale where a suicide happened over a year ago. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole personally, I would be second guessing every sound and mishap forever after if living there. The unit next door to it is also for sale, and it's got lots of real estate traffic in and out, and I haven't seen anyone look at the unit where the death occurred, apparently a lot of people don't like the idea of living where darkness and tragedy happened.

I wouldn't let the home's past stop me. Yes, it's sad that the woman took her life, but a house is a house - you and your family will make it a home.

You can fill it with happy memories and create your own history.

I am personally a sensitive person and quite considerate of other's feelings and needs. But in this specific case, I say there is nothing that you should worry or concern yourself with. This might be an isolated case and the woman might have had issues with a tendency toward self inflicting pain (do not know in this case) I would have been worried ONLY if the house had had over the past 30 years a suicide or death in each family that lived there for 5-6 years on a clip - that would make me turn my back toward it. All you need when you move in, paint all walls fresh, buy some dried sage and burn it to get the evil spirits out, if you are religious bring the priest, the rabbi or the hoxha to have them exorcise the evil spirits and you should enjoy your ideal new home.

My home doesn't have a dark past in that sense, but it does in the sense that the previous owner hid a lot of problems about the house that couldn't have been found through a house inspection. In any home, you have the good and the bad, and you must live with both once you buy it. Luckily, you've been tipped off before your purchase. If it truly bothers you, don't buy it. Though maybe a sage burning and blessing by a respected elder would cancel out the bad vibe? Since it wasn't on the level of a murder, it wouldn't bother me. Death a natural cycle of life, and if you are both of good mental health, you'll be fine.

I wouldn't let that sad new stop me from pursuing my own dream. A house is a house, and you and your family make it a home.

Buy the house, create your own history - and make it YOUR home.

I don't think a suicide or accident would cause me to write off an otherwise great house. A violent crime that was relatively recent/unsolved/notorious, etc. probably would. You could have the house saged or blessed if it would make you feel better.

I haven't been in this situation, but I think I'd be perfectly fine with buying the house. For the current owner it holds both wonderful and terrible memories, but for you it's your perfect new home. Perhaps a nice way to make yourself feel positive about the house would be to memorialize the young woman by planting a tree for her in the yard even though you didn't know her.

ABSOLUTELY. I don't believe in superstition.

hmmmmm. . . i'm not really into haunted houses or horror movies, but i have at least two friends who are level headed individuals who each lived in apartments where people had committed suicide (according to the neighbors and building owners) and both friends had issues with strange scary happenings. it turns out that one of my friend's leases actually had a clause in it that allowed you to skip out early if the weirdess got to be too much!

I lived for 11 years in a nearly 100 year old landmark building in the Chicago area. One evening I heard two residents discussing events that had happened over the years, including a rape, and a suicide on the third floor (which the residents cleaned up--it was before there were companies you could hire to do those things). It lead me to wonder about all the events, both tragic and joyous, that we didn't know about all of the residents who'd passed through. I thought it gave the building a soul.

Please - most homes are old enough to have at least one bad "dark history" story in it. Push it to the back of your mind and make a move on it if you think it's practically perfect in every other way.

If you don't feel a creepy vibe--go for it! Having lived in a few 400 year old houses in Europe...you get over that 'somebody died in here' aspect pretty quickly. That's just history. I say this with bravado--but, I will admit that one of my coworkers has a condo in a refurbished mental institution (where the developers have intentionally kept a lot of the institutional look/feel/details) and I find it really depressing every time I go there...that's a deal-breaker.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You hear about a home's "dark past" and then find yourself second-guessing noises and shadows that you would otherwise ignore or not even notice. Our imaginations play a big role in how we perceive reality.

This wouldn't bother me at all.

Proceed with the purchase. Replace the carpeting.

if youre superstitious at all its not worth it if you'd be scared to be in the house alone but if youre not, just repaint everything fresh and make it new to not have to remember the homes past.

I'm the first person to live in my current house, but I have lived in homes of all ages and never had any issues. One of them was over 100 years old so I'm guessing odds are that something bad happened there at some point. If the house felt right before you knew what happened then I wouldn't let it bother you.

My parents bought a home where the previous owners teenage son had committed suicide. Nothing ever gave us the creeps about living there. We made it our home.

I would. That'd be pretty f'n metal.

Absolutely, you should never, ever buy a home in which someone has committed suicide, or died of natural causes, or someone living in the house ever died even somewhere else. Bad, bad vibes. <<She said, shamelessly doing what she can to drive down prices in the real estate market.>>

I bought a house and later found out that the guy we bought it from killed our neighbor on the front porch. At first it bothered me mainly because we were not told and I think we should have been. However I'm over it now and I don't regret buying our house because as weird as it sounds I feel this house has a wonderfully beautiful vibe. I feel like this house loves us and is very comforting. So basically I would not worry about anothers history with the house but how do you feel as you spend time there?

I'm sorry to be a downer but I wouldn't want to have a memory like that associated with my dream home. Imagine when it becomes the topic of discussion at dinner parties! it could be a dwelling thought at first and then vanish, or it might stick with you for quite a while and disrupt an otherwise happy home.

I got an awesome deal on my Santa Monica apartment because the previous tenant had croaked in there. The landlords refused to remove the beer that the guy had in the refrigerator, because they believed that he would disapprove and haunt the place. I drank the beer.

I would go with your gut. If when you first visited the home, you got warm loving vibes, then go for it.

If you are at all in any way apprehensive, your intuition is trying to tell you something. Never ignore your gut feeling!

The very fact that you're asking this question suggests that the history of the house has already swayed you somewhat. If it wasn't going to bother you...you'd already have signed the papers. In reality the house isn't perfect in your mind because of this issue. I imagine there is at least one more house (likely hundreds in this economy) that are just as perfect without this issue. So to me, it seems you need to keep looking...

Regardless of feel, consider the resale value when YOU turn around and sell it down the road. A death/suicide must be disclosed during all the paperwork during escrow, so a buyer will know it took place. Just as you're finding it hard to say 'yes', so will a potential buyer when you turn around and sell it. Something to consider, from someone who's currently house-shopping!

People can make their life miserable in the most beautiful and peaceful places and maintain a happy life in countries destroyed by horrid wars.
Happiness doesn't live in the buildings, it lives inside people. If it isn't there you wont find it no matter where you go and if you're happy, you'll be happy everywhere.
http://slowly--surely.blogspot.com/

I used to babysit for the child of a man whose wife committed suicide in their house. He was a young dad, the child was young and they stayed on for two years after. Since that time (just over 45 years ago now) the house has enjoyed three separate families, all putting loving touches and their marks on the house. It's never been more beautiful. One owner turned it into a very well loved and popular B and B. She was a remarkable and memorable person, funny, loving and witty. There never seemed to be a sense of doom and gloom with the house in all those years after the young mother's sad demise. Pay your respects, make it your own. A house is a house, fill it with your love and joy.

This may sound crazy--and is probably just co-incidence. When we bought our flat, we knew the previous owner's wife had died of natural causes at a young age. During our stay there for 20 years, my mother died of a natural cause at a pretty young age (after child birth). Well, after we sold it--the new owner (husband) also died from a natural cause i.e. brain tumor in his 30s. It is all probably co-incidence but I am sure they will have great difficulty selling the flat with this history of 3 deaths . Even though I am a pretty rational person, I would think twice before buying a house with a history like that.

I grew up in a house where someone committed suicide in the garage before we moved in. No one in my family ever ran into anything disturbing or creepy while living there. You shouldn't worry either. Good luck!

Our first house, our "little house on the prairies", was lived in by drug dealers. It was an okay residential neighbourhood (a bit uneven, but fine otherwise), so we bought it. This was in 1991, and it cost us (drumroll please...) $26,500. It was so cheap because it was dead ugly, a fix-er-upper if there ever was one, but hey, it had nice "bones" and lots of light.

If a house gets old enough, people will be born in it or die in it -- sometimes literally. It's a function of age and probability.

Don't be afraid of the house because someone committed suicide in it; chances are the house didn't cause the depression...

I just think it's silly to not buy a place you love because of something someone else did in the house in the past. I mean really? If you feel that way then you'd better not ever buy anything but brand new construction and better not ever live outside of the US. Life happens. It happens to other people too. It has nothing to do with you.

If the house didn't creep you out when you fell in love with it, then I say go for it! Although I am strong proponenet of having the house blessed/saged/whatever you're into before hand. Never hurts to start fresh!

Had the neighbor not mentioned anything you would not have questioned it. Where I live there's a home where an entire family was killed years ago. About a year later a young single man purchased the two family home. My daughter's best friend lived two houses down and new the family who'd been murdered. Her new neighbor has married and has two small children.
I'm sure he was also offered a great deal. Don't let this stop you or let it bother you at all. Good luck with your new home!

I just bought an apartment where the previous owner "died in his sleep of natural causes" (so said the obit). While it's a little creepy that I know he took his last breath in the same room I now sleep in - most people I know live in old buildings, so odds are good that over the past century someone has died in their apartment, too - they just don't know about it. Though I have to say - if anything gruesome had happened in the apartment (a la Amityville), I would have passed!

RocketScientist - you are hilarious.

LolaDanger - you are also hilarious.

My grandparents (and now my uncle) lived in a house in which a famous Belgian murder happened, one of a series of linked murders. A TV series has been made about it. As a child I have stayed very often at this house, and I was always intrigued by this fact. But never bothered. Now I live in a house in which it seems the first owner tried to kill his wife by running her over with his car. I think any old house has some history. Tragedy is part of life. Death in the form of disease, murder, accident...But really why should this stop you? It's not your life! You make of it what you want. You bring in this house your new spirits. Don't dwell over the past. If you really like the house, go for it. Have a great housewarming party to bring joy to it.

I wouldn't care.

The only problem is all the superstitious idiots when you eventually try to sell the house will care.

One of the homes in my childhood neighborhood had the same situation and it took FOREVER to sell (something like 4 years). Be glad you found out before buying though. Some states don't require a home seller or real estate agent reveal that kind of info unless asked.

I am surprised that in this day and age people are still so superstitious as to pass on a house because something unpleasant happened in it.
It's a structure like any other, no matter what happened in it. It doesn't in some way absorb the suicide and then pass it on to you.

I can't think of rational reason not to buy the house. I'm sure you use roads and bridges where people have died. But you never hear anyone say "I can't drive down the freeway because someone died there."

Suicide sucks, no matter where it happened. It doesn't make you a bad person to make a happy home where someone else wasn't happy... and that person, if you believe in this kind of thing (I don't), would probably want the rest of the world to go on happy, without them. Buy the house and make friends with her memory -- celebrate her.

This summer, we bought a house from a couple who raised their children here. They planned to relocate to the west coast when one spouse tragically passed away in the west coast. It went off the market and then back on. It was put back on the market and we were able to buy it. I loved the house when we toured. While the spouse didn't die in the house, it was still a very sad story and makes you think twice about living fully everyday.

Seems like that house needs some happiness, I say buy it and throw a fabulous housewarming party!

beetlejuice... beetlejuice... beetlejuice!!!

lot's of sage burning in each room.

and what RocketScientist said.

generally, no way. a suicide is on the line, murder is a dealbreaker. i don't know. haunted houses are real. i didn't used to think so, but i know it now.

Either you believe in all that haunted stuff or you don't. I don't and wouldn't care what happened in my house before me as long as it didn't compromise the physical structure or safety. I would ask the seller's agent directly what happened and make sure they "clean up" and not just "cover up" what happened. Which means replace flooring or whatever. I know it's a little weird, but a deal is a deal and it'll make an interesting conversation piece that's for sure.

The previous owners of my house were a married couple. The man was a musician and the woman worked a 9-5 job. The man left his wife after his band got some fame and he decided he didn't want a wife back home.

My husband is also a musician (and is getting more and more successful lately) and I also work a 9-5 job. Sometimes the similarities scare me but I have to remember that we aren't the same people.

On a side note, I'm friends with the female former owner. She once told me she likes that I have been renovating the house because "the place where my marriage fell apart doesn't exist anymore." It's interesting that my DIY insanity has a place in her recovery.

We're almost all living on land that was taken, by force, from the people who occupied it before us. All sorts of tragedies have happened all over, and if people who claim to feel "bad vibes," really did, they'd hardly be able to go anywhere. What happened to the family who owned the house before you is very sad, but it's their tragedy, not yours, and likely would have happened in any home they lived in - it's not linked to the place.

Go with your first impression of the house. If you didn't "feel" anything was off or wrong the first time, then I would guess you will be fine. While house hunting, this one condo had a sad depressing feeling as soon as I entered, I didn't know its history but I never looked at it again as the sad vibe was too strong.

My condo's previous owner supposedly died in a nursing home but it turned out (after I bought the place) that he died in the unit of natural causes. Since then my late kitty have paid a visit and recently I had to put an elderly foster cat to sleep and then oversaw three miscarriages of another foster cat who was sick, who recovered with no problem and was soon adopted into a nice home. Maybe I'm weird but I like to think my home as a peaceful place for those that passed away, human or felines.

So...I've had three family members commit suicide in their homes. While unfortunate, these men turned to a place of comfort to end their lives, and they were each very loving (albeit troubled) men. I highly doubt that their spirits would do anything to hurt the people who currently live in their old homes.

I'm guessing that all homes of some age have had bad things happen there. Most were probably never publicly known. Our new farmhouse is from 1891 and I'm sure that there were deaths there. We love it and it wouldn't change our minds. Although when we told the seller we were going to have our wedding reception in the barns next year he told us he proposed to his wife in the loft and they also had their wedding there. History made us love it even more!

If there's any physical evidence at all -- like, they papered or carpeted over stains instead of removing them -- then I would pass up that house. No thank you.

If that was all taken care of appropriately, and "bad vibes" was the only possible concern, it wouldn't hold me back for a minute.

Suicide and death do not happen because of houses. Whatever happened to that person was about them, not their home.

Enjoy your new place, paint the walls bright colors, and fill it with love.

Sorry, I wouldn't move in. Especially since it's not just a suspicion, but a fact that something gruesome happened there. Now you know, and I'm guessing it will be very hard to forget, it would be for me.

Well unless you buy a new building, all the houses have a past, and in all of them someone died (in a way or in another). But if you think well, even in a new construction there could be "ghosts", someone could have been killed exactly in that place, or something else bad could have happened.
This is probably the reason that the price is affordable even if the house is nice. I would suggest you to go on with it, unless you are really really disturbed by the thought of the person who committed suicide. Consider that a lot of nice things can have take place there, and all the positivite things that happened in that place (without you knowing of them) will balance the only one negative thing you're aware of. Think that there is bad and good everywhere! And what do you know, something worse could be happened in the next place you could want to buy and maybe you will never know about them....

I live in a house from the turn of the century (20th, that is), and apparently it used to be a brothel. I'm sure some crazy/sordid/demented things went down, but whatever. It's freaking beautiful!

In 1961, my parents bought a house that was built by the previous owner in part from wood cleared from the lot. Unfortunately, the previous owner was a troubled man and shot himself in the head while standing at the kitchen sink.

My sister and I happily grew up there and our family's thought was that wherever the previous owner was, he probably was relieved that we loved the house and took such great care of it.

Our only issue was one classless neighbor who occasionally announced that we lived in "Old Headless' house", something that reflected on her and not us or the house.

Maybe she has a friend looking to buy the house haha. I would rather not know, I might feel uncomfortable living in a house where murder took place..or even where a series of people died at a young age...maybe there's carcinogens or toxins? But suicide? It's sad but a home is still a home..and even if you were superstitious I doubt that someone who committed suicide would be a hostile ghost haha they'd probably be grateful for the company.

I would open all the doors in windows and light candles in every room then go around into each space and push out all the negative energy with your thoughts

We bought our first home about a year ago. While we were in escrow the owner told us a neighbor committed suicide by hanging himself froma tree on our property. It's a very sad stor, especially now that we have gotten to know that person's family ( whoc still live next door and are incredibly sweet).

But it has no impact on how much we enjoy the house. I think this is a very individual thing, but we boguht a 100-year old house, with lots of history. Some good, soome bad.

One thing that was important was making it feel our own. Everythign got a fresh coat of paint, a refinishing, etc. So while I like to think about the people who sat in my living room through world wars and the great depression and other important events, I am also very happy I've bleached away all their germs, so to speak.

Considering how old this apartment is (100 years) I'd be surprised if someone HADN'T committed suicide here. But that doesn't bother me because surely the number of wonderful happy things that have happened in this home out-number the bad. Don't let it scare you out of a home you love.

dont do it.

My apartment was once an exclusive hideout hotel for movie stars, back in the studio heyday. It was a popular place for people like Charlie Chaplin to take their underage mistresses and for illicit extramarital rendesvouz, safe from the spotlight glare of the press. I myself have had illicit sensual encounters in that apartment, photos and stories of which I am SO glad were never published in the National Enquirer. Coincidence? Maybe.

I like the previos poster's idea about planting a tree in the woman's honor. If it makes you too uncomfortable, then you have to go with your gut. But I don't think it would upset me. I do agree with some other posters that a home in which a really gruesome crime had taken place - particularly if it were recent - would be different to me.

Having personally grieved for someone who committed suicide, I am always aware of how I want that person to be remembered for his life and how he lived and not for the way in which he died. We shouldn't forever be defined by the worst decision we ever made. I think building your life inside the house and making it a beautiful home would in some ways be an honor to the woman's memory, rather than viewing the home as somehow toxic.

bubusu—Very nicely put! I couldn't agree more.

While I am slightly superstitious, I have to say that I think that the horror movie industry is the main source of your hesitation over buying this house. You did not feel bad about it when you first visited, so the likelihood that there will be any issues is low. Do a ritual cleaning/blessing, such as sage burning, honor her spirit and move on. We cannot let fear of the past paralyze us in the face of our future.

Every home has history, and many things happen behind closed doors. I'm sure many, many people are living in homes, unaware of dark things that happened there.

However, that shouldn't keep you from falling in love with and buying the home for yourself. If you love the home, you will fill it with you. I don't believe that some sort of dark energy will be inflicted upon you, just because someone who lived in the house in the past experienced troubles.

History--whether it be dark or light--is what makes a place interesting, gives it character. If you love this house, buy it and fill it with your own memories.

I agree with everyone who says go ahead and buy it. First, I don't believe in superstition or hauntings or ghosts. But secondly, you drive on roads where people have died. You probably drive past cemeteries. Do you not go to a hospital because you know people have died there? You do all sorts of things that involve a fact of life: people die. Yes, it's sad what happened there. But it didn't have anything to do with the house itself, so why hesitate because of that?

Not to sound callous about it, either...but you could probably get the seller to lower the price a bit now that you know.

bubusu, I couldn't have said it better: "Happiness doesn't live in the buildings, it lives inside people."

In my experience, who I live with, or where I am at in life impacts my happiness much greater than the vibes of an actual structure.

Plant a tree in the woman's honor, as suggested above. Take flowers to her grave. Make a donation to a suicide prevention charity, or to her favorite charity if you can learn what it was. Think kind thoughts of her as you clean, and cleanse, her former home.

But first, buy the house.

Holy moly there's a lot of comments already!!

The house I grew up in was over 100 years old and the previous owners daughter was killed out front when she crossed the street and was hit by a car. For YEARS we felt like the house was haunted by something. It was just odd. You could feel someone following you upstairs in a room that we later learned was her bedroom. We didn't know about her death until years later when we looked into it.

Similar to your story, there is a mansion in the same neighborhood (in St Louis) where 3 people had committed suicide. And the legend has it that the house was "cursed" and made those 3 generations of people kill themselves in it. It's now one of America's top haunted attractions.

So *I'd* look elsewhere, because of my personal experiences.

Definitely investigate environmental things if it's an old house. Some houses do make people depressed. (Lead paint, mold, other allergens, the type of piping, and the wiring). On those ghost shows they always try to pinpoint stray electromagnetic anomalies and other things that could be making people depressed or paranoid.

Personally if I were worried I'd simply have a priest bless the house (catholic). But whether you think there is something/someone there or not, don't move in if you're not going to be comfortable living there. Too big of an investment of your finances and your emotional heath. Ask if you can camp out a night first and see how it goes!

Before our landlord bought our house it was owned by meth dealers. I'm pretty sure someone has died in it (which is pretty creepy), but hasn't affected our experience of the property very much. Twice we've had one creepy guy hanging out on our porch - we call the cops and they take him in.

That shouldn't be a problem for you, though. I think the biggest thing with our house is that we (and our landlord before us) made it our own. We rarely think about its past life.

If you're still worried, ask your landlord if you can go through one more time - having them wait outside, it's not mean, just almost yours - so you can make sure everything feels right about the house. I think you should go for it!

I used to live on the second floor of a 3 story house, and my upstairs neighbours were very noisy. I filed a complaint and the noise simply intensified. I spoke about it to a friendly Indian shop keeper who sells all sorts of incense, one of them called «Clean Home» that is supposed to rid your home of negative spiritual energy. My friend suggested it as a means of recovering my sanity... Anyone could see that the lack of sleep was driving me crazy... Did the stuff ever work! after only one day, my upstairs neighbours announced that they were moving. After they left, I moved in their old appartment and, with mucho dinero and work, I now enjoy the nicest home I have ever had.

Ask yourself one question: In a year's time, will I regret it if I don't buy it?

I like a house with some history. But I would definitely burn A LOT of sage to get rid of the negative energy and maybe even have some kind of professional, whether be a priest, shaman or psychic to "cleanse" the house just for good measure. ;) I don't know what is worse a suicide or a murder...but yikes!:)

I also agree with Jennie Jackson: In my experience, those who commit suicide are/were extremely loving people - the kind who proverbially wouldn't hurt a fly - and had never done anything to another person. IF (and it's a big if) they haunt the house, I doubt they would do anything to cause harm or take out their life struggles on you.

I say go for it. I admit it would creep me out if someone had been murdered in my house, but I don't think a suicide would scare me as much. In Texas, where I'm from, the owner has to disclose a death in the house. It's right there next to the square footage.

LOL Lola Danger...I would drink it too:)

I'd say go with your gut. I personally think there can be bad vibes in certain places, but structures in themselves are not the things that emit them. Bringing love into a home helps also. And of course, not all houses that have had a death occur in them have those accursed "bad vibes."

I just remember being eight years old and sleeping in my parents' bedroom one night (they were away and my grandmother was staying with us), and I was awakened by some strange, inexplicable rolling sound. It sounded like something rolling back and forth, and I looked out the window and on the windowsill and saw nothing. I found out years later that a previous owner, an alcoholic, died in that room.

Does this make me sound crazy and irrational? Yes. Do I, as an older and "wiser" person, disbelieve this memory? No. I won't go all the way to say that my childhood home is haunted, but there was *something* funky about living there.

I totally get what you're saying, my house was built in 1897 and every single owner, except for me knock on wood, has died.

Also, did you verify the info the well meaning neighbor told you? Perhaps they just didn't like the look of you and thought they could scare you off or they have friends also interested in the place and want to thin out the competition.

Sounds like you have a very highly motivated seller. If your worried about ghosts, don't be. If you're worried about the house depressing someone to be suicidal, that is more ridiculous than my ghost scenario. Take it, it is a deal and you will regret not taking it. On the other hand the one thing that would scare me away is the nosey neighbor. After you move in and she comes in with one of her ghost stories tell her to stfu.

I would definitely not worry about it. I live in Boston and most property is very old. Chances are that bad things have happened in many of houses and apartments. You can't just write off a house because some completely unrelated to you happened there. The owners are probably selling it because of bad memories but you have an opportunity to get a deal on a great house and make good memories there.

Don't let superstition get to you. People live and people die. That is just what happens. You can't let it rule your life or let it ruin your chances of getting a great deal on a great house.

I would buy it, but my husband would absolutely not. When we were house hunting he found out that for one house (that I fell in love with) the reason for the sale was the couple's divorce and he wouldn't even make an offer on it!

I think one of the nice things about living in an older home is the sense of history and the richness of lives that have been led within. Most older homes have probably been the setting for deaths, births, happiness, turmoil, and everything in between. The suicide is only one part of the life someone led in the house, and just as you'd hopefully remember someone for the life they led rather than for their manner of death, you should embrace the life that has taken place within the house you eventually buy. On a somewhat related (circle of life) note, I gave birth in our current, rented, house. It's an older home, and I like to think mine might not have been the first home birth to take place here!

I've never posted on AT, but this topic compelled me to finally register so I could comment.

My father bought a 1940s ranch in Dallas in 2004 in a very nice neighborhood. The owner (an elderly man) had recently passed away. His adult son wanted absolutely nothing to do with the house, so my father got it for a great price.

So I moved in with him for a couple of months after I graduated from college while job hunting and lived in one of the bedrooms which had probably been occupied by the son (dark plaid wallpaper border, navy blue paint). After a couple of weeks, I realized that the weird part about my room was that the bedroom door could only be locked *from the outside,* and that the jack'n'jill bathroom door could also only be locked *from the outside*. It really, really, really gave me the creeps to think that <cue overactive imagination> a parent could have potentially locked up a child in their bed/bathroom with no way for the child to get out. Windows/seals were also all painted over, which isn't that uncommon in older homes. I was in my early 20s but insisted upon sleeping with the door open :\

A year after living there and during a remodeling project, my dad found a bullet that had been shot into the master bedroom closet sheetrock. He found it to be "hilarious." I found it to be...creeeeeepy.

Those few things, coupled with the vibe given off by the adult son of the previous owner always made me wary of this house. I wouldn't say that a troubled past would make me shy away from a great real estate purchase, but it's something that will always stick with you.

I've lived in houses with ghosts (truly, and no, I don't believe in them at all) as well as generally bad juju.

My feeling is, you can feel when a house has bad vibes. You just can. And my experience is that sometimes bad things have happened in good houses (meaning, whatever the event, it wasn't bad enough to erase the good vibes) If it feels good it doesn't matter what happened...just enjoy it. If there is any question at all about how it feels, especially knowing this info that could weigh on your mind later, avoid.

That's a tough one.. It really depends how you feel about it. You have to go with what your gut instinct is. That's always the right answer :) Hope that helps!

As someone who lost a family member to suicide and remembers how difficult it was to sort everything out and get back to normal, I would say please don't let a superstition spoil the sale. If that is your only reason for holding back I firmly believe the homes past will not affect you, but does affects the current resident daily. Just something to consider.

Suicide or death by natural causes wouldn't bother me. Murder? I'd probably keep looking because it would just feel like bad vibes to me.

Wow, lots of comments! I think the only thing that would really give me pause is buying a property that had some sort of notorious crime attached to it. I always think about this when a TV news crew goes back to the scene of an old case that's back in the news for one reason or another. I'd never want that to happen. Other than that, I'd want to make sure that there were no unpleasant stains or damage that I'd uncover years later when I pulled up carpeting or other flooring.

Sounds like it's the neighbors who are dark. If that's the first conversation your potential neighbor strikes up, I wonder what she'll be telling her other neighbors about your family in six months!

Unhappiness stems from inside. If you are uncomfortable living in a house where you know there has been a death, you may have a hard time finding somewhere to live. A house is never the cause of a death, even though deaths happen in homes all the time. If you really love the house, you will be happy there. If something that happened to someone in the house makes you not want to live there, you may want to consider whether you really like the house, or if you are looking for a reason not to buy it.

Like rescuing an abused dog and giving it a new home and a new life, do the same with this house. You're family surely has enough love to outshine and evil that once lurked there.

If it bothers you then ask your priest or rabbi,etc. to come bless the house. Burn some sage, say your own prayer or just buy something else.
As for me it wouldn`t bother me. Does anyone have a way of knowing if someone dropped dead on their property 20 years ago? Before the land was even residential,etc..? How far will you take this?

The previous tenant of my apartment committed suicide and we even got her mail for a while. It's sad but no reason to be spooked!

Honestly I'm a bit taken back by all the superstition in the comments. Ghost are not real. There is no such a thing as bad vibes. There are negative feelings generated by your own brain and there are certainly self-fulfilling prophecies. If it makes you feel depressed that something so tragic happened in this house don't buy it. Just please don't blame it the super-natural.

I wouldn't be worried about ghosts or contagion for reasons already given. Even so, if I were you then I still wouldn't buy it given research supporting the neighbor's gossip. 1. Even assuming it's silly superstition, you feel how you feel, so why set yourself up to become a nervous wreck? A home's supposed to be a private haven away from worries. 2. It would be hard to sell it at a good price later. 3. There are plenty of other well-priced houses on the market with which you'd be happier. Good luck!

AmberM - have you seen the listing for the old Amityville Horror house? The actual house they based the movie on? The new owners (who are selling it) took out the original windows when they bought it because the house was such a landmark made famous by the book and movies and was so recognizable because of the windows.

This is what it used to look like: http://www.silverthornpress.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/DefeoHouse.jpg
This is what it looks like now: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amityville_house.JPG

I told myself that if I bought that house, I'd have the original windows put back in. It just looked more interesting with them.

I'd say it depends on if you are sensitive to spirits (or whatever you want to call it) or not and if you felt anything while you were there or not.

Even if there is a spirit (or whatever) there you can help them move on or just plain kick them out. The way I successfully removed whatever it was that took up residence in my apartment was to reclaim the space by filling it with my stuff and scent and energy.

"Like rescuing an abused dog and giving it a new home and a new life, do the same with this house. You're family surely has enough love to outshine and evil that once lurked there."-Wittyname

Best comment so far. Most houses have a history for better or worse. Having lived in my share of homes that were 'occupied' by tenants past I can only tell you to burn some sage, encourage the woman to move on and enjoy your new home.

ps. I can't believe an above commenter said a rape gave the home "a soul".

I wouldn't, but that's only from experience. As kids my Mother got remarried and moved us into a rental house. It always had an overall depressing and sad feeling to it. The house felt cozy, but never welcoming or happy. I was too young to understand what any of the feelings meant, but my Mom later confessed that she got the rental at a discounted rate because the previous tenant shot himself in the face (in our bedroom, no less) and it explained everything! Totally not worth it.

My husband and I just had this conversation a few days ago!

I personally wouldn't mind. I've lived in houses where nothing bad has happened and have still been creeped out.

How did the house "feel" before you knew? If you've started coming up with things you thought you saw or felt on your tour, you should probably look elsewhere. Real "feelings" or not your imagination will start to get the best of you. If you can honestly say you felt fine then go for it!

Nobody's perfect. I think this is not immaturity but, rather, a quirk such as many people develop through culture, environment, or coincidence. That's why my underlying message to her was, "Life is difficult, so pick your battles." I know a highly successful, intelligent, happy woman who happens also to have issues with the number 13. In the same way, I'd tell her not to beat herself up over not moving into an apartment #13 regardless of its low rent.

Yup, I'd buy it.

My husband's grandpa died in the house where we live now. It grossed me out just a bit at first (until we replaced the carpet, as soon as possible, because he was found on the floor, eeks) but nothing creepy has ever happened here.

I do apologize to him sometimes because I complain about the horrible crappy "upgrades" he made to the house.

Houses have history-good, bad, and ugly...and creepy. I grew up in a 150 yr old farmhouse. We knew a lot of the history, including that yes, people had died in it. It always creeped me out as a kid, but eventually I just gave the 'ghost' that I thought was living there a name and it wasn't as scary for me. If I heard a weird noise or a door shut, I'd yell "Cut it out, Tony!"
Seriously, it helps. My opinion-buy the house!

What gorfram & DonaldN & OctaviaFern said.

Our 141 year old house had been ours already for a year when we went to a local history group gathering and a couple of older locals said, oh yeah, your house is the one where one of the old spinster sisters drowned herself in the water barrel.

I felt a bit sick for a moment, then a bit annoyed at being told this pointless story, which had somewhat of a 'gotcha' feel to me. I'm not sure I would have brought this up at a first introduction, if the positions had been reversed. Actually, I absolutely would not have brought it up. I agree with other posters that your neighbour sounds like someone who doesn't have enough going on in her life.

My husband and I made an instant decision not to let that story be a conversational topic, both because it was someone's tragedy and to allow all of us, including kids, to live there without focusing on one isolated sad moment in its long history. When people ask if we think it's haunted, we say it's peaceful and it is.

Mental illness is incredibly common. The fact that we avoid thinking about it doesn't change this. Be healthy yourself and practise compassion and your home will be a happy one.

I lived in a flat in Mile End in London that used to be a surgery. My parents house was built in the 1890s or thereabouts. Something's bound to have gone down. Unless your house is a new build it has a history. You're just aware of exactly what it is. It might freak you out at first but eventually you won't think about it. The only thing a house can be haunted with is bad memories. But as you make it your home the old memories will be purged and new ones of your own will take there place. Do you really love the place? Then go for it.

A woman was shot in the face at point-blank (she survived! incredible story) in the house caddy-corner from our first rental home.

My friends, who bought the house, did so because they got a great deal on it. They had to clean up a lot (not blood, but fingerprint dusting powder, etc.). It's always amused me because the husband of this friendly pair is frugal to the extreme. The house became a happy, sweet family home for them.

I say buy it!

Everybody dies. And a realtor not a neighbor is supposed to disclose facts such as this. I'd fire the realtor and buy the house

As realtors are obliged to disclose this kind of information to prospective buyers, I'd be wary of neighborhood rumors. If you are concerned, ask your realtor. If the rumors are true and your realtor failed to disclose, I'd look for a new one.

That said, human beings have been around for a long time. Chances are someone has died, been murdered, or committed suicide, everywhere you've ever laid your head.

The previous suicide wouldn't dissuade me, but you have to feel comfortable in your home.

Plant a pair of young trees (preferably trees that flower and/or fruit) in her honor. In folk tales, a young woman is often represented by a young tree. Nurture them and remember her with kindness. You'll be doing her, yourselves, and the house a great good.
P.S. Why do I recommend two trees? Because it would devastate you if you plant one and something happened to it. In fact, plant three. Those Hollywood witches were right about the power of three.

As someone who grew up in a haunted house, I can say for certain that spirits of some kind are definitely real. Yet, I have known numerous places where someone committed suicide wherein there have never been any supernatural feelings or encounters by anyone.

So, I agree with many of the other comments here: go with your gut. If the house feels happy, then go for it! I think any troubled previous occupants would appreciate seeing someone bring joy into the house!

Sorry, but a person's "maturity" has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Everybody is different, and everybody comes from a different set of circumstances. What might bother one person, another might not blink an eye at.

Would I buy a house with an ugly history? Maybe. But, I don't doubt it would be on my mind during cold, lonely nights or during horror films.

in texas, the seller needs to disclose if someone has died in the house...

I lived in an apartment for 2 years where the previous owner had committed suicide. Nothing strange or eerie ever happened to me there. I don't think that should stop you if you find that it is the perfect house for you.

We lived in a house that definitely had bad vibes. We all had a lot of strange "encounters" in that house, and it was a relief to move out. Who knows whatever might have happened there, but it was 110 years old.

Our house now doesn't have anything like that. We never hear strange sounds, never get creepy feelings, never see things. Nothing at all. This house is 90 years old, and I know one of the previous owners died in here, in my bedroom. Her husband lived here until he died, although that happened in the hospital. It doesn't bother me in the least.

I wouldn't let it stop me, but we're much more careful about creepy vibes than we were when we bought our first house. And not all states require that a death be disclosed, so the person asking the question might be in one of those states.

My parents bought their house for $34,780 in 1994. It was an amazing deal, great neighborhood and had all the things they felt they would need to raise a family. And indeed, we were very happy there.

A woman was murdered just 5 years prior to us moving in inside the house. It was gruesome and several neighbors knew her and remembered the event well. But you know what? My parents weren't afraid or superstitious about it. We moved in and my first memory was picking out my room! Then My unicorn wallpaper in my bubble gum pink bedroom. Learning to ride my bike in the front yard, helping my dad build a jungle gym in the back. THOSE are the things I think about when I think about home. Not the woman who lost her life in the kitchen we would later bake cookies in with Grandma, sharing kisses and laughs.

I think if you are a spiritual person, you should have a priest, rabbi, minister, or whatever your preference is come out to the house and bless it for you. This should eliminate any bad mojo or lingering spirits you might think the house has. Clergy do this all the time, so they won't think you're crazy for asking. Even if you're not religious, it couldn't hurt, right?

This is a really interesting and thoughtful discussion, and a very different way to think about your home environment.

I totally agree with the lovely suggestions about planting trees and sage cleansing, and lots of redecorating. It's amazing how much that can all change a space--I've seen it (and felt it) at work in my grandparents' former home and it truly felt like a new house.

But I think that no matter your levels of picking up vibes, or being "superstitious," or whatever, what is most telling: you don't say that you guys really love *this* particular house. It simply matches your needs at a good price. I'm sure many other houses out there can also meet your needs and give you good vibes, too.

My parents got a great deal on a house in Germany where someone had been murdered. I grew up there not knowing or caring, I was just a kid. They fixed it up for 7 years, sold it with lots of profit, and it was one of my favorite places to live. I don't think it is a big deal at all,but I might be weird or maybe just not as emotional as some. Anyway, go with your gut, if you won't feel at home,then why buy it?

I grew up in a home that's over 200 years old and my parents live there still. There was a murder that had happened there, but all of us love that house. It has its fair share of groans creaks and mysterious things that happen, and we love to say that it's one of the many ghosts :-) I say go for it. You didn't get a bad feeling before you knew about the tragedy, I think you're safe!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462041/

Just saying...

I do believe in ghosts but I'd buy the house because I'm weird like that.

With that said though, I wouldn't let something like that bother you. A lot of homes unless they're brand new could have some dark history to it that not even the neighbors are aware of. Domestic violence, home abortions, incest...who knows what those walls have seen.

Have ya seen Poltergeist? Even the land could be cursed! A new home couldn't save you from that ;p

Think of how eager the owner must be to sell that house with its tragic memories and move on. Think of how you can help by buying the house at a fair market price and filling it with joy.

OK STOP AND READ THIS! THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED TO US... except we'd already purchased, spent 40K renovating and moved all of our stuff into the house before we got tipped off to the suicide that happened in our living room less than 10 years (at the time) ago. apparently the man who lived there before very violently took his own life after his wife left him and took their young baby. both my husband and i were affected by the dark... mood of the house, and had depressive bouts. we moved away, and put a tenant in the house. about 18 months later, we were having her sister remove her from the property - she spent the next several months at an inpatient mental health care facility. we tried living there one more time while we paid down the debt on it. it was not a pleasant experience emotionally.

i'm not saying the house made any of us depressed, but maybe crappy energy can trigger previous issues. i moved away a month ago, and i'm so happy to be out. that house was oppressive, and weirdly dark for a place covered in windows. i wouldn't live in a house like that again, if i could avoid it.

by the way, a realtor is required to disclose this stuff because the homeowner is - but when the homeowner is a bank, all bets are off. that's how we got "gotcha'ed." that doesn't apply to this situation, but something for comment readers to think about when buying bank-owned properties

If it bothers you enough to ask, it bothers you enough not to buy it.

My two bits on a subject I am well versed in. Go with your gut. Homes do indeed retain energy ... sometimes merely because of the geophysical location, or even electrical transformers nearby. If you are sensitive and tend to feel the vibes of your friends' homes or other places that you visit, you my wish to pass it by. Otherwise, perhaps not. One time I was house-hunting and fell in love with the lot and location of a place. Upon entering the home, however, I felt an amazing heaviness to the air and said that there was a lot of anger that had taken place there. Sure enough, when we got down to the finished basement, the doors and drywall were littered with holes that looked as though they were made by fists. No sale. I probably could have had it cleared, but why take the chance. Visit the place again and see how it makes you feel when you are in a room alone.

I spent a winter in a big ol' 70's house with a bunch of roommates. Small mountain town so we found that the owner's son had wandered off into the woods one day. It made for good fodder but his spirit was a lot less scary than the big cats or other old mountain history running around outside.

Our house is over a hundred years old and has been a rooming house for single men during The Depression, a 3/4 House (I think it's a step above a halfway house), and just before we bought it, the previous owner had women working in the basement sewing baby clothes.

The neighbours were extremely wary when we moved in. They had come to know the house as The Problem, or Those People.

After 11 years of cleaning and renovating, the house had a fire, and we had to completely gut and rebuild 80% of it. I think all the bad ju-ju is finally gone and the house has never felt better.

Wow. If it were me, I would have to pass on the house. Not because I necessarily believe in spirits or ghosts or anything, but I would NEVER be able to get that thought out of my head! This is the same reason that I realized years ago that I could not watch horror movies--my overactive imagination! You can be a totally rational person during the day, but drive yourself crazy with "irrational" thoughts when you are by yourself at night. I think the passage of time helps to change these things, so that a death that happened in a house 10 or 15 years ago is much different than one that happened in the last few years. And the fact that this was a suicide-- there is just something very sad and depressing about a person doing that. I think it IS different than someone dying of old age, or of natural causes. I think the neighbor did her a favor by letting her know the circumstances, knowing that this would bother some people. How would you feel if you had already purchased the house, and then found out? I would not be a happy home buyer!

I say go for it, but don't watch that new Daniel Craig horror movie ;-)

When my parents were first looking for a house in the early 1990s in Kentucky they came across a definite fixer-upper. They were open to the idea until the real estate agent showed up with a holy bible, holy water and a shotgun-literally! Maybe it was a southern thing? Anyhow, the gesture alone was enough for them to decide against buying.

On the other hand, I have friends who moved into a home where the prior owners we raided for drugs. After about 5 years of major overhauls, the home is completely transformed into a warm and welcoming place. Now, the drug-raid just makes for a cool story when giving home tours to guests.

I guess it could go either way depending on how much you let it get to you. Good luck in your decision!

Nope. No way!

My current home is new so it doesn't have a past. My previous home had several owners, one of which was an elderly lady who lived independantly and died in her own home at the glorious age of 100. I always saw that as a positive thing.

I would go with your gut on this one but think about it: in purchasing this home you will be doing the previous owner a favour because he will then be able to move on and you will be buying a house that suits your needs perfectly. All that positivity should cancel out any bad juju, shouldn't it?

If you are enough of an "alternative thinker" to be superstitious, you could consider instead that the house might have feelings, too! It would probably really like a new, happy family to live in it and love it since it recently had to bear a tragedy through no fault of its own and now no one wants it.

In some places it's required that you disclose this sort of information. Check with your realtor, but if you might find it hard to sell in a few years if you are required to notify all potential buyers of the suicide.

I had a favorite house that I used to pass by on the way to work. Then on that house on a cold Christmas day, a mother and daughter was murdered by the mother's boyfriend. That house has since been demolished and a new bigger house was constructed on it. For years that house sat empty. The price kept on going down. Just as the sign would disappear (an indication that it was sold) it soon went back in the market. I happen to believe in ghosts and I swear there's an erie feeling about the house. We attempted to go to an open house, but later find out the realtor didn't even stay so we never got to see it. Odd! Neighborhood houses cost in the upwards of $750,000 and this house was being auctioned at $275,000 but nobody was biting. Mind you this wasn't the same house of the murders, it was brand spanking new. Last I checked the house has since sold, but it took a very very long time. Certain houses have a feel. If you are purchasing a home and it doesn't feel right, just walk away. If for some reason there's some negative energy in it, it will be hard to get rid of and whatever you do it will always be the house with the suicide incident. It will be harder to sell later. In this buyer's market you have plenty of inventory to choose from. Get something free and clear. When I visit family I will pass by that house again to see if it is still occupied.

If the vibe feels right to you and your family, grab it! You've found a bargain and should be happy:)

I went to Catholic school for 12 years, however, and so still carry the superstitions. A priest once me that he knew an exorcist ;P (I'm now lapsed....)

I would find out why the house was vacated and on the market now just to feel better. If you ask the question about its spooky factor, you obviously have it on your mind.

Just get clear on it; talk to neighbors; nose around a bit.

Hope your decision makes you happy--whether in this house or another! Good luck:)

I was recently faced with a similar situation. I looked at a condo that is aggressively priced for purchase. It was a bit trashed (egg stains on the walls, bad stains and burn marks on the hardwood floors, dents on the appliances etc).

Come to find out the previous person who lived in the unit (a renter) was a drug addict who recently overdosed and died in the apartment. Although I liked it, the place did have a sad vibe to it; prior to me finding out the history.

Have not read all the comments posted, however, having moved into a home with a "past," a past that I discovered after moving in, did not bother me one bit. One of those "past" situations is similar to yours. I instantly fell in love with this home, I walked in the door and felt at home. When I found out about this particular instance, and the details, I was not creeped out. I could only feel compassion, there was no judgement on my part. People do things for many, many reasons and I feel that it does not always reflect on the "kind or type" of person they were, or the energy that is left. Life is not for the faint of heart and I can not judge anyone when it comes to something like that. I feel and have continued to feel a wonderful energy in the home. Any place you step, even in the street, has a "history." Your own life is a history of light and dark and in between moments, but you have not moved out of it. In other homes that I am not aware of any "history" I have periodically smudged/saged all of them. This one I have not. The house I grew up in was built by my family in the middle of nowhere, it is labyrinthian to say the least and most people have often been frightened in it. I never have, and now as an adult stay here often for long stretches alone. You asked for comments, but none of them, in the end, matter. What matters is what your gut feeling is. I am furnishing and imbuing my new home with love, and everything that is "me, my husband, and the two of us combined. Having said that, there were many coincidences or parallels when we moved in - none of them ominous or "bad." You could do a smudging if you moved in...how does your husband feel? Do you know the details of what happened there, or anything about the person? Again, it will or will not be Your home, no comment including mine can change that. One's home ought to be one's haven - if you feel that it is that, or that you can make that, that is one thing. If you feel you will be living in a past that is not yours and makes you uncomfortable, then that is another. Again - follow your gut and your heart.

In looking at your post, I forgot to answer something you asked: "How does a home's dark past affect how you feel about it?" That depends on how you see what is "light" and "dark." Given that in my opinion it's what you make of it. I've been in many "light" places and gone through some rough times. I do believe it is possible to flip things around, as it were, and create goodness, space, and lightness. Once again, follow your gut...our instincts are usually right, I've found my mistakes occur when I have that gut feeling or instinct, and then I ignore it, which serves as a lesson for next time.

Our house had a dark history as well. The owner's son had committed suicide in the side yard (he first had murdered his girlfriend somewhere else). She didn't want to be there for the one-year anniversary.

She happened to be home when we took the tour. We weren't the only people who made offers on the house and ours was considerably lower than others, but she CHOSE us. You should have seen the owner's eyes when she met us! She just locked into mine ... it was unsettling. Her son's name was the male version of my name, we shared a birthday, and his dog looked exactly like our dog. If that didn't set the conditions for something horrible happening, I don't know what would.

At first, I was a little worried. Some creepy things happened, more because of the decrepit condition of the house and the bad neighborhood, but the son's spirit never took possession of my psyche or anything like that! It definitely crossed my mind one or two times!

After living there for nine years, we sold the place. I couldn't be happier. It took me 5 years to stop having nightmares about it. Again, I would chalk it up to fixer-upper anxiety than anything else. In the end, the house enabled us to move to a place we really loved (we sold at a profit).

Suicide: eh, I don't think it will be a problem
but if it's a fixer-upper: Proceed with caution! Know Thyself and make sure you are up to the task!

I live in Germany. Any questions?
At my former boarding school, the chairs we used had a swastika stamp burned under their seats. Anyway. If ou're supersticious, you may want to avoid living in a place of which you *know* about something gruesome that has happended there. On the other hand... how many places have had dark events taking place of which you will never know. It's life.

Probably every other spot on earth has a dark history - after all humans have lived here for millions of years and most things that have ever happened on the ground we walk on we'll never even have an inkling of.
Only when you do know the history of a place does it affect you and those thoughts have a life of their own in your mind. What of all those horrible things that you don't know about that still happen behind closed doors? Those won't affect your decision.

Probably in this case i would buy the house, but as every place and it's (known) history is different, I don't think I could make a general statement.

Personally I think the neighbour had no business telling you about the tragedy- perhaps they have a secret agenda?
A suicide also occured in the apartment directly below mine. I never told the person who moved in there and he is very happy in the place (4 years later) as am I directly above it.
However, if your dream house has been tarnished by this knowledge there is no use pretending it doesn't bother you- someone else will be happy to snap up the house and you'll eventually find somewhere else you like. You have to live there after all, and if all you can think about is what may or may not have happened there, you'll never feel at home.

No.
As simple as that.

I once moved into a flat where the previous tenant had shot and killed his wife. The way I found out was by finding a bit of dried blood on the wall and floor and asking the neighbors about it.

We were perfectly happy there. The flat was on the top floor of a Victorian house. I figured that in 120 years lots of good and bad things had happened in the house.

However, I would draw the line at buying a house where they had dug up bodies in the basement or under the bricks of the patio etc.

i'd be more frightened of the "well meaning" neighbor.

The death (from whatever cause) of a person unknown to me wouldn't give me pause at all. And, has been observed by several folks already, all sorts of bad (and good) things have happened in just about any house that's stood for long at all.

But I just might be concerned that the house's history would put off a potential buyer at some point down the road. From a seller's perspective, that would-be buyer's reservations might be superstitious and silly as can be, but whatever stops him from signing stops the sale.

Any person who has spent the night in a hospital ICU bed has almost undoubtedly slept where numerous others have died. Me, I still prefer my odds there than at that new motel out by the interstate.

i'd be more worried about the nasty, nosey neighbor.

Call it intuition, sensitivity, superstition, hang-up, whatever, it's bothering you enough to ask unqualified, unaccountable strangers for advice, in itself a red flag. Since you haven't committed to the seller, unless the neighbor turns out to have lied, find another house. It's not necessary to sacrifice comfort and peace in your home to logic and money. I wouldn't buy a house in view of a cemetery for reasons I don't fully understand. I don't have to rationalize or justify my preferences in order to have them met, and neither do you.

As someone told me once... you have to be more scared of the living ones instead of the departed.

If you are supersticious, then don't buy it. If not... go ahead....

I sleep on my late father's bed, he didn't die on it but did loose conscience and had a couple of seizures on it ... It is a beautiful french style, solid mahogany, full size bed....Was I going to let that bed go to waste based on superstition? ABSOLUTELY NOT! In fact I feel close to him having a very tangible token of his love, presence and talent (he built it, he made classic style furniture)

On the other hand... as with everything we touch... you want to make this house part of your family history, that means if you don't like a suicide as part of your house' history then move on.

I have owned two houses with history. One, a 125-year old house that had originally been built for the buergermeister's mistress and the one I live in now. This house has some pretty interesting stuff that happens each year between September and November. We're okay with it. I have no idea what your belief systems are; but, I would suggest doing whatever you do to clean out the energy in a place after you make the purchase: clean with rosemary in the water, burn some sage in each room, have someone of your faith come say a blessing and then enjoy YOUR new space.

Psh. People die. Sometimes in sad or scary ways. Life has to go on for the rest of us, until it's our turn.

Buy the place, enjoy it, and let the widower get a fresh start on life in a new place.

Well, you certainly got a lot of opinions -- I didn't even try to read them all.

This is YOUR decision, and NONE of the opinions here should be a factor.

If the house met my criteria (mainly how much expense would it take to make it what I wanted) I would not be concerned about it's past. (The only exception might be if crazy people thought treasure was hidden in the walls and made a habit of looking for it, or something like that with ongoing ramifications.)

But that's me, not you.

If you are creeped out by the history, you probably would continue to be creeped out. *I* think that is totally psychological, but even that is irrelevant -- if you are bothered now, you have to decide whether it is big enough to bother you forever, and if so, bail on the buy.

Would you believe great things would happen to you if the previous owner won the lottery? Because it's the flip side, and the statistical odds would be WAAAAY against it happening again, you know....

I agree with those above saying ignore it. Can you state with certainty the house you're living in now never had anyone die in it? I can't. Unless your home is new nobody can.

Suicide is extremely sad, but it isn't contagious. You've got a tremendous opportunity to not only let the poor guy move on, but 'heal' a structure in the neighbourhood. In 10 yrs people will be talking about it being your home, and stuff you did there. A few years of normal living at the place and no one will feel right connecting it to a suicide anymore, unless they're completely malicious (I agree I'd be more wary of them than spirits!).

We all get the heebeegeebees at times, whether it's thinking we see something in the dark, hear an unfamiliar sound, whatever. That's more likely to be human made than ghostly! Personally, I don't believe in spirits or ghosts, but if you do why assume they're evil? This girl was ill, not malevolent, fixing up and making her former residence a happy place is more likely to push her to rip than turn poltergeist on you!

I've been living in the top floor of a historic house built in the 1880s for 3 years now. my apartment used to be the maids' quarters (complete with a set of stairs that lead down to the owner's kitchen), and I sometimes think about the lives of people who lived in these rooms over 100 yrs ago. some of my more sensitive friends have felt "presences" here, but quite honestly the whole thing intrigues me - this place has character. im a single woman in my 20s, working, educated.... times have changed. i think they'd be proud. fill your new home with love and light and you can't go wrong.

"However, I would draw the line at buying a house where they had dug up bodies in the basement or under the bricks of the patio."

dulcibella's comment above is gonna cause me to have nightmares tonight.

I just read through all the responses and find it heart-breaking that so many allow themselves to be ruled by a spirit of fear. There is a better Way.

Anonymous, I hope you find The Answer you are seeking and enjoy your new home. May it be filled with many happy memories.

I have lived in two houses that had "activity" in them, including my current home. I am used to it- the first house was a little scary, but not threatening. This house seems more interested in us- it usually tries to get our attention in some playful way. Now there might not be anything wrong with your home, but you have to ask yourself if you would be comfortable sharing your space if there is something there. This might sound cheesy, but energy is energy- it has to go somewhere. I personally would not want to live in a space where someone with such sadness chose to "disperse" her life's energy, but that may only be because I am more "sensitive" to such things. Whatever you chose, good luck!

@BarbieQ: Is your friend in Northern Michigan? They are working on an project like that up here and I have heard mixed reviews from people looking at condos in the buildings...

I don't think you should let the home's history get in the way. I do think, however, that if you buy it you should start off on the right foot. In every new home my parents bought (and we've always lived in VERY old houses), they made sure that the first thing they brought into the home was the family Bible and a family portrait. I like that tradition and I'm going to keep it when I move into my first home. Maybe you won't bring exactly the same first things into your home, but starting with a reminder of what exactly is important to you is a good way to start living in your new place.

Like some have said, I would just kind of feel it out. When I was younger, my family looked at a house wherein the wife had died (I think possibly suicide as well, actually) but I never felt anything strange about the house when I was walking through. However, my mom's friend and her family rented a house for a while and it had the same sort of history--wife committed suicide. My mom's friend swore it was haunted (she was a pastor's wife, hadn't really ever believed in that sort of thing before) and that house definitely had creepy vibes to it. Who knows whether or not you'll hear anything go bump in the night, I think you mainly just need to feel comfortable in it.

Even more reason for you to take the house and put the "good vibes" back into it!

Go with your gut. If you are having bad feelings about the house & are asking strangers whether or not you should buy it: don't buy! We went against our instincts for our first home & bought a 1930's cottage that felt bad from the very beginning. (We bought it because it was in a great neighborhood at a great price.) I had to force myself to sleep in that house the first week--almost would rather have slept in my car. The place was a boarding house in the 1930's & '40's & had a nasty angry vibe. Even though it had plenty of windows, it always seemed dark. One of the rooms was 5-10 degrees colder than the rest of the house. We moved out after two years. Our current home is 105 years old & I'm sure a few deaths have taken place here--but it has gorgeous light & a gracious lovely feel to the rooms. @Alyse--Do tell what happens in the autumn in the buergermeister's mistress's house???

Any home is going to have it's own stories, some good, some heartbreaking. The reality is that we are often ignorant of the events that take place in our homes before we occupy them, but we make our own experiences in a home.

If this home is exactly what you are looking for, you should not let it's previously sad history deter you. You can change it's story. It may help you to consider that by buying this house you are helping the previous owner to move on to a new home and heal without daily reminders of his personal tragedy.

Wow, this is a lot of comments!

I say: if it bothers you enough to ask, it'll clearly bother you enough over your life in the house that it's not worth you taking it. You either love it enough that this is no issue, or you don't. Take somewhere else that you have NO compunction or second thoughts about.

If on reflection you DO decide to take it, what lovely ideas in the comments for a memorial - planting trees, or donating money to a mental health charity.

(Me? grew up in a C16th manor house and my parents now live in a C14th fortified manor house (with a bloody Civil War history) built on the remains of a medieval castle... no problems with either. Houses past a certain age will have their history, but it won't necessarily affect you).

My husband and I purchased a house about a year and a half ago... not realizing that there were some wackadoodles living here before us. Shortly after moving in there was an "incident" in front of our house. The responding police officer mentioned offhandedly that "he thought he'd been here before"... and, oh yeah, btw, he had. The last time he was at our house (prior to use living here) they broke down the fence in our backyard to arrest an attempted *murderer* who was holed up inside our house. We also learned from a neighbor that night that there was an abusive guy renting a room who also happened to belong to the *Aryan Nation*... Sweet. That may explain why our neighbors weren't super quick to come over and introduce themselves!

Short story long, we burned a crapton of sage the next day and promised to take good care of our 102 year old lil' bungalow.

I don't regret buying this house AT ALL. Our neighbors are great, the house is awesome and it gets better with each home project we finish.

Don't dwell on the sad situation of the previous owners - it is up to you to make this house your home. And, a little sage burning never hurt anyone. ;-)

my mother's good friend's mother took her life in their home in the 70's. that very home happens to house my cousin and they haven't had any issues. if you can personally move on from the home's past, i'm sure you'll be fine :) but if you know it will give you the creeps, just move on.

We will be buying in the near future and I have passed on rentals that had less than favorable past history or I had a very uncomfortable feeling when I was inside. I think if you are already considering the history to the house not sitting well with you it will probably be a problem when you make it your own. I also would perhaps check to be certain what the other neighbor has told you is true because they perhaps are telling stories to keep people from buying.

We bought a 1924 general store and are converting it to a home. This building has a colorful, old west past. The once owner slept in the attic to help prevent break ins; he once shot and killed an intruder on the front porch. Many former employees through the years claim to have seen a ghost there, but we have had no problems whatsoever! Buy the home and make it yours. The past is the past; you can create a new future for this building. *S*

The question may not be about the supernatural. One strategy in decision-making is to ask, "What's the worst that could actually happen?" In one worse case scenario, Anonymous may be predisposed to depression and might obsess about sad things living there more than elsewhere. Talk therapy to explore issues with death as well as prescription antidepressants and antianxiety medications could help. She could work through personal issues and thrive. So, even an unlikely worse case scenario is reassuringly viable.

This may sound insensitive, but I honestly think it would depend on the method. Pills? I'd probably be fine with that. Shotgun? No way. No one would ever be able to make that place clean enough for me to live in.

I would buy the house.

Clearly a lot of people have no problems with a house that has a sad history; I'm not sure what I'd do.

When I was in college, at the peak of the real estate boom, a really brutal murder took place in a beautiful house near the Stanford campus (a man murdered his wife). As soon as the story hit the papers, people started calling the family, asking if the house was for sale yet. While it was still surrounded with police tape, people were stopping by, asking if there was a real estate agent attached to the house yet and when could they come and have a look at it. I know it sold not long after the police had finished with it, and at a very high price.

When we were 19, my friend's mother died in their home, alone in the bathroom, and wasn't found for a day or two. She inherited the house and long story short, I ended up living in it alone for a couple of months while she was at college. I knew the circumstances and sometimes at first when I was in the bathroom I could picture her there and it did weird me out a little. But after a while, it stopped mattering to me. I think if you make the home yours, that can help the karma of the house.

I think it's really sad what happened, and since it has nothing to do with you, I don't think you should let it get to you. Imagine how the owner must feel to have to sell the house?

Wow this was a fun read:) I would pass. I would wish the eventual purchasers well, and find something else that I feel really good about.

It would be hard to move into a house in which Kenny G had lived or where his records had been played a lot. That would be a dark, dark history. I'm not sure there's enough sage for the level of smudging that would be necessary.

The negative energy, the sorrow. Sage doesn't work on everything guys "salt is worthless"... I've tried it all, and the only thing that you are going to get is more trouble. Once a house absorbs that energy it leaches out into the rooms and people within. ... I wouldn't buy it if i were you. ...

I would do it. When I was buying my house I found out that it was a crack house in the 80s. The owner before me did a great remodel on it, and I couldn't be happier with it, and I'm very sensitive to 'bad vibes.' I always get compliments on how warm and peaceful my house feels. If you feel good in the house and like it, that is a really good sign that there is no negative 'energy' from the suicide. Also, as plenty of people have mentioned, there are ways to shift the energy in a space. If DIY methods don't work, you can always hire the spiritual professional of your choice. I wish you the best in your new home!

As a person who has found someone who committed suicide, there is no way that I would want to connect myself to this home in any way shape or form! There would just be this constant lingering negative energy. To think that another human being experienced their darkest moment and their last breath surrounded by those walls....nope, no way. I could not live there. I guess it's a personal decision but if you are questioning it before even moving in, this might not be your dream home.

In Wisconsin, it is LAW to disclose that a death occurred in the home if it occurred while occupied by the current owner. If it's a bank or subsequent owner, it's not necessary.

I can't imagine how my neighbor down the street will ever sell her house after her husband hung himself in the kid's playroom. Selfish bastard.

"A house does not become a home until it has been consecrated by a birth, a wedding, and a death." -- L.M. Montgomery.

My neighbors recently moved after several suicide attempts by the father, and the family that moved in is filling the home with the love that it was lacking. The whole neighborhood is better for it.You can write the next chapter of the house's history and fill it with happy memories. I would buy it, say a prayer for the family that lived there before and move forward. Honor the woman that passed by showing your appreciation for your family every day!

Lots of people buy houses that are estate sales, even though there's a good chance someone just died there very recently. I know that the previous owner of my home died at home, because my neighbor remembered the ambulance coming. He was an old man and he had heart trouble. People die in all kinds of ways, and an awful lot of them die at home. While some states require disclosure of a recent death or unpleasant event, they are in the minority. In many states there are dozens of court cases in which judges have refused to void real property sales when purchasers subsequently learned of a gruesome event associated with the house. Some states have statutes explicitly absolving sellers of liability for not disclosing such facts. Might be a good idea to find out what the law is in your state if you are worried about future marketability. And if you live in a state where such facts do not have to be disclosed, I'd look much more askance at that neighbor than I would at the house.

Bring happiness into the house! Fill the place with good cheer and happiness, and if you are bothered by something, just bring in a priest and have the place blessed. I definitely would not let a place go just because it had a bit of a blip in it's past. There are plenty of ways to fix it. Just make the place your own :)

I understand how you feel. When I lived with my parents, the next door neighbor killed herself with a gun in her bedroom and one of her young sons found her when he came home from school. It was hard to witness the second child get off the bus and to see the body bag come out. From that perspective, I feel like I will never look at the house the same way, particularly because I was acquainted with the person beforehand. However, I don't think I would let this affect my decisions with properties I look at where I only hear of the incident in retrospect. I think about that house sometimes, and about the fact that the house I live in now was built in the 1870's. I am sure that in the last 140 years some unsavory things have happened here, but it does not make me love it any less. Go for it!! You may even be able to get a deal on the house due to others' misgivings....and by the time you sell, this event may be far enough in the past to not affect other potential buyers!!!

I agree with WittyName and kiwi292- this house deserves some happiness. Replace the sadness with happy memories. If everyone was scared of this house then it would fall into disrepair, become some sort of urban neighbourhood legend, or be torn down. Save the house from the sadness. Buy it.

I lived in an apartment where two suicides had taken place. I didn't know about the building's history when I moved in (neither did the owner), but it honestly didn't bother me.

What did unnerve me a little was the fact that a few years prior, a distracted driver had rammed into the building. My apartment was ground level, faced the street (a major artery with a 50 mph speed limit), and the living room had visible repair marks from the accident. I didn't spend a lot of time in that living room!

I think the seller is obligated to disclose that such an event occured, but the laws regarding that may be different in your state, county municpality. Ypu should check on that. You may be able to get even more of a discount. I know many people would be offput by something like that, which is why it is selling for such a good deal. You have to go by your own feelings on the matter. Personally I wouldnt worry about it too much. While a suicide is sad, it has nothing to do with the you or the house. the question is can you live there without thinking of it everyday? I could, but you might not.

The solution is simple. Buy the house and then have a smudge ceremony/house blessing. You use epsom salts and burn them in a dish (Google it for instructions) to clear out negative energy. Invite a bunch of people over and have someone lead everyone in a blessing, going from room to room, which also can include all of them roaring together to scare out evil spirits. Doesn't matter if you believe in it or not, a bunch of people roaring together is fun and very freeing energetically, so just the feeling created by a group doing this all at once makes a difference. I took part in one a few years ago when a friend moved into a studio in a very old building. It helped. The house's vibe will feel great after something like this. You can do a blessing in all seven directions (north, south, east, west, above, below, and center).

SeeAnemone --

Very apropos, given that L.M. Montgomery committed suicide herself.

I read years ago that as many people already have died as are currently alive. With numbers like that, ghosts would have been proven undeniably by previous substantial research efforts, *if* they existed. Also, I've known a number of suicidal people, and they had considerably less desire to attack others than the general population does. If there were ghosts, then ghosts of suicides should be among the most harmless. The supernatural seems a non-issue here other than belief impacting emotional stability, no offense intended.

buy the house. "cleanse" it with some burning sage and call it good.

where do you think all these deaths and drama in people's lives occur? in houses! it's gotta happen somewhere.

Someone else wrote that those three events were the only proper times for a lady's name to be in the newspaper. Good riddance, bad old days.

My ex-husband committed suicide in my home two years ago. My children weren't here but I was. It was the most traumatic thing I will probably ever experience. Yet we still live in our home. Every day we laugh together and love and hug each other. Every day we remember this man and how much we loved him and how much he loved us. Every day I go into the garage where it happened. At first it had power over me but each day that space loses a little more of its hold on me and becomes what it is, a place to park a car. The house you are looking at, with its "dark history", probably has a lot of light history too, days when one person told another one "I love you," days when children laughed and chased each other, days when people sang off-key while they cleaned the bathrooms, days when people cried themselves to sleep and then, more importantly, got up the next day to keep living, keep loving, keep moving forward. The days when those things happen far outnumber that heartbreaking day when someone lost his battle with a devastating disease. Give THOSE days weight as well. They are just as important.
I hope this helps. I know if I ever sell this home I would love the idea of a happy family moving in and filling it with their own light.

My boyfriend and I purchased a house where a step-father had shot and killed his wife's son right outside the side door. We did get it at a very good price and spent a long time renovating. We did have a lot of quarrels while working on this place and never moved into it. We wound up selling it to someone else. I don't know if it was the stress of renovating or just the vibe in that place.

the fact that it is a question for you, should be a good indicator of where your heart is.

If you think about it, bazillions people have died all over the face of the earth, at some point someone or something died on or about the piece of land you're living on. I grew up in a house where someone died in the front lawn, after being thrown from a car in an accident, just a few years before my family moved in. Our family has lived there since the mid 70's, with nary a paranormal disturbance, and we had an idyllic childhood, the lawn never tormented us with its tragic grass- I mean past. This is an old New England town, where you can't swing a cat without hitting a so-called "haunted" house.

It's nice that you feel sad for a stranger's tragedy, but don't let it keep you from what could be a great place for you and your family.

@ClooneyGirl73, Your comment must inspire many of its readers this sad day.

All else aside... when you go to sell the house, almost every single person will be asking themselves this same question. And some of them will walk away because of it.
Not a big deal if you plan to retire in it, but if you hope to sell it in a few years this should be a consideration.

My sister discovered her apartment had a ghost (a girl who had committed suicide two tenants earlier). The tenant before my sister left because his shoes kept showing up on the lawn. My sister kept walking into the kitchen to find all of her cabinets open and unexplained dishes on the counter. Then her friend saw the girl in the reflection of the computer monitor. That was it - they bought some sage, smudged the whole place and set the girl free. (True story.)

ClooneyGirl73, thank you for sharing your story.

In the house I grew up the previous owner had killed himself in my bathroom many years earlier (my parents bought it from his wife who had become a recluse, which was actually creepier). I'm not sure if I was told when I was a kid or if I found out later or if I even really understood what it meant but I wasn't bothered by it and neither were my parents.

The house I own in L.A. had a ghost (the previous owner, natural causes) and it was kind of well known. He was a friendly ghost, tho. My brother and his kids lived there for awhile after I moved out and the ghost is not there anymore. I think he was looking for his kids and was appeased by my nephews. If I would have known about this before I bought it, I still would have.

When we were looking to buy a house last year we encounted a house where a woman was murdered in the early 1970s by being stabbed with a pair of scissors over 30 times by a guy who broke into her bedroom window in the middle of the night. She was alive long enough to call an ambulance and managed to drag herself from the bedroom to the front door. The guy who did it is still in prison but I had visions of him getting out and coming back for a visit. The house had a creepy vibe and LOOKED like a haunted house- I only found out about this murder because I am fanatical about researching houses and I found it an an old newspaper article. Not every state makes the owners disclose this kind of thing, and where I am, Colorado, doesn't. I was not interested in buying the house, but only partly because of it's history. It had a lot of other problems.

The house we finally bought has a ghost cat. We noticed it before we even moved in. A couple months after we moved in, our neighbor casually told us that the lady who lived here like 10 yeas ago had killed their cat in our driveway. NICE. That fact wouldn't have kept me from buying the house if I would have known it beforehand.

I'm not overly spiritual or religious, but even I wouldn't buy a house that a suicide took place in recently. It's just bad juju, mojo, vibes, or feelings.

Suicide is a result of a state of mind. A house cannot cause suicude. If you love the place, buy it. My condo bldg used to be a cheap hooker hotel/ crack house. I dont even care to know the evils that once took place here. A few overdoses and crimes probably took place. I love my condo and no crackhead ghosts have appeared.

If the house matches your needs, and you like it, buy it and fill it with your own good memories!

After living for some years at a place where a young man committed suicide, I would suggest not buying the house.

Being secular and quite skeptic (and loving the location and the place), it took me a while to finally acknowledge what we were constantly living -- we tried many ways of bringing peace and tranquility to the apartment and it never happened. After opting to sell, it took years for the apartment to be bought. The new owner was never able to live there comfortably and finally decided to sell, the building has since been demolished.

But in the end, this might be a very different case. I wish you the best if you decide on buying and hope for your story to be very different from what we had to experience at our old place.

The man who built our house comitted suicide about 6 months after we bought it. His family still lives close by, but we never knew him.

I like to think that hopefully he is happy that somebody is taking care of his house and making it a home. I think the girl in the house you are thinking about might feel the same -grateful that you are taking care of her home.

my parents went ot look at a house once where a woman had been murdered by her husband (and he'd then killed himself) a little over a year earlier. small town. everyone knew the story and the house had been on the market for a year. I was totally creeped out because the murdered woman was my science teacher.

my parents didn't buy the place, but I suspect that now, 30 years later, there are no issues with the house or anyone that lives in it.

Many houses - and particularly old ones - have at least some tragic histories. Death is a fact of life. It happened even more frequently in earlier eras with higher mortality rates and no reliable birth control. Violent death, too, was - and is - common. I suspect that if you went looking into the history of any 100 year old house you'd find some violence and some tragedy. But you'd also find laughter, joy and blessings.

@ClooneyGirl73
So sorry for your loss. Your bravery is inspiring.

1. For the last house we bought, a sort of 'dark history' clause was part of the property condition disclosure statement, which is standard in Nova Scotia. I don't think it would have made a difference in our decision to buy.

2. A taxi driver told me just yesterday about the couple that built our house in the 50s. Apparently, after they moved out, the guy died of cancer and shortly thereafter the woman threw herself out of the window of their very high apartment. You know, I thought I would be completely unaffected by an anecdote that happened to people I never met but it was kind of sad.

As someone who does paranormal investigations frequently (believe of don't, but its a fascinating hobby, and trust me when I say that I have seen, heard and felt things you can't imagine) I can tell you that I've been in places with good energy and bad energy.

Trust your gut, get a feel for the place, and decide for yourself. I'd personally have to spend some time in the house before I could make that decision if it was me.

Suicide can leave a mark of sadness, so I'd recommend blessing / cleansing the house. BUT... If you love it, and its perfect in every other way, buy it.

Yes, I'd buy it if I loved the house.

Just clear and bless the house, then move right in, to clear the house burn a black candle in it (with all the interior doors open in the home), then after an hour or so extinguish the candle and remove it from the house immediately (trash is fine but outside the house). Alternatively you can burn a smudge stick and go from room to room which is an old Native American clearing & purifying ceremony. To bless the house, open the windows and doors wide, invite any restless spirits to go into the light, and give everything a cleaning and a fresh coat of paint (anything that puts your own mark ON the house in a significant way). Friends here do this whether something bad has happened in the house OR even if the previous owner was just a complete jack*ss during the sale. Believe the rituals or not but it does wonders to reinforce (FOR YOU) that you're becoming the new caretaker for the home (and at its core this is about confidently living in YOUR new home).

I could say more but I was raised by a California woo-woo who had a near death experience when I was a baby and she came back with lotsa stories about death and ghosts, natural death or suicide, and how non-threatening they are to the living. We always had mysterious doors opening and closing in our family home and took it with a sense of humor by inviting our ghost "Abernathy" to come or go as he pleased. Clean, paint, open the windows wide - listen to the birdsong - and your new house will feel like it's truly yours.

(((@Clooneygirl73))), thank you for sharing your experience, your thoughtful post was breathtakingly eloquent.

Wow, over 200 responses on this. Crazy! My boyfriend and I are looking for a house and we were just having this discussion - he was surprised to find out that my answer was no, I would not think such a house was a bargain. However, the suicide victim may have had certain wishes - like maybe her house would be loved by the next person. Go in, trust your intuition. If you feel like it's your home, as others said, do a ritual to get some good energy in there. Maybe this will be a blessing for the house that it has your kind and sensitive energy.

Addendum - by the way we do own a duplex, and my MIL passed away in the bedroom downstairs. That apartment is now a stray cat shelter - which she would have liked, she adored cats. All good energy. Many people pass away at homes, so it's not that unusual either.

If you cannot reconnect with your initial positive feelings about the house, you should rethink purchasing. That said, I agree with the many posters above who said that the tragedy is past, and you can make the space a happy loving home.

This is going to sound pretty dumb, but honestly I would have trouble buying it if I knew that. Hubs and I saw over 50 houses before we found the one we now own. Each house had a different...feeling/vibe/energy, whatever you want to call it. I'm not into that psychic junk or anything, it's just a feeling I get when I walk into a house. It's either good, bad, or neutral. I told the hubs no matter how ridiculous it would sound we couldn't buy a house that I didn't feel good in. Like the house that felt creepy as hell and then the realtor told us the owner had passed away inside? Yeah we never went back to that one.

Did you have a good feeling when you walked through your potential house? If so then go with that, forget the sad history and make a good future! If you had a bad feeling, well you have some thinking to do as to whether you can overcome it. Best of luck to you.

Our home we bought 2 years ago has a sad past. In fact, the sad part is that a week AFTER we bought the home, the previous owner (who had just been through a divorce), committed suicide.

So- we didn't know this, but all our neighbors who knew this man well did know about it. About 5 months after his death, a young kid came to our door, and it was the kid who used to live there. He told me that he was sad and just wanted to see his old home.... he had a lot of good memories there- and it was devistating. So, I pieced together the story that his dad had died- and that's about all I knew. So I googled his obituary, and it mentioned the suicide, and then went on his memorial website, and sure enough- ALL our neighbors had been posting on there, and they all knew about what had happened.

It's been a spooky thing at first. Really, it has. Some places in our home are kind of dark. We've moved on as we made each space our own- but it's taken some time to realize that he's not there, and it's not our fault in the least that we bought this distressed short sale from him. I had NO idea about his situation.... completely sad though.

I believe that you know when it's the right home. When you walk in a door and you feel intensely happy and giddy - you should buy the home. This is what I do when looking for a home. I feel the vibe of the home and if it just doesn't feel right to me, I don't buy it. My first house...I just knew and it felt so right. I had four happy years in it and I still miss it today. Wish I never left. Four years ago, my husband and I were in the market again and I found one that I really liked visually, but I had a weird feeling the minute I walked in the door. I couldn't sense what it was because the home looked wonderful and I could not find anything seriously wrong with it...I just felt a strong sense of foreboding. I told my realtor that and she said, "I did not get that feeling, but if you felt it, absolutely DO NOT BUY THIS HOME." So with that said - go visit the house again. Does it feel warm and welcoming to you? Can you sense having a happy life with your family there? If you do, and you really feel like you would regret passing it up, then buy it. If you feel weird, like something is quite right - don't buy it.

Buy it and make it yours!

Once you move in, you'll forget all about the home's past because you'll be too busy looking toward its future.

Do it. Just smudge the place with sage. Light a stick of sage and go to each door and window to trace along the edge. When I smudged my house I said "Spirits of the (insert cardinal direction you are standing in) protect my home, let not evil cross it's threshold." At the very least it'll make you feel better. Feeling like you've somehow protected yourself from the ethereal is sometimes all you need, to prevent you from worrying.

After watching that show, The Haunted, I just think it would be too risky for me. You just don't know, but enough people on here alone have said things about haunted places that it's hard not to believe.

I would also be concerned about that affecting the value or "helpful neighbor" thwarting future sales if you decide you don't want to live there any longer (for any reason).

Twice we moved into homes that had dark pasts. The first was a home where a little boy had been pushed down the stairs and died. Every once in a while we would hear a thumping sound starting on the second floor all the way down the wall to the first floor. In the 2nd house a woman had collapsed and died in the gargage while skipping rope. While out there doing laundry we would often hear the ta-tapping sounds of a rope hitting the floor. HOWEVER, we never considered it a bad thing (we also found out after we had already moved in). If you think of your home as being a member of the family then any quirks it has are just that..quirks.

Happiness DOES live in the buildings, as well as in people

I am the owner of a home where my son-in-law comitted suicide. He was a good man but could not handle the difficulties of life. Ten years have passed and the our keikis have all moved and found homes of their own. My husband and I are now trying to sell our 5 bdrm / 3 bath home and because of the suicide we are having difficulty.

I feel that if you are possibly thinking about purchasing a home like this, then you might want to get a building inspector and have them go through everything to make sure its safe.

Growing up my parents bought a house that apparently was the scene of a suicide. I found this out from the child across the street the day we moved in. A man had shot himself in the head in the main bedroom of the house after losing his wife to cancer. I was about 12 years of age at the time and was compelled to investigate. I found a bullet hole in the floor boards of the main bedroom where the carpet had been cut out.

After starting at the local school I heard various stories about either a suicide or murder that happened in the street I lived in, I always assumed that it was our house that they spoke about. Anyway, we lived in that house for 20 years and I have to be honest, even though nothing ghostly ever happened there I was constantly scared to be in the house. It has taken me years to get over it even with professional help. After I got married and moved out my father passed away in the very room that the first death happened in, my mother then sold the house relatively easily.

When it came time for my wife and I to buy our first home, I stipulated that we try and ask as many questions as possible prior to purchasing to try to limit the chances of a repeat of the past. So we found a 2 year old house that was perfect and I specifically asked the Real Estate agent whether there was a death in the house, they said no. A week after settling in I hear a knock at the front door and it's the previous owner who goes on to tell me that he sold due to his wife passing away recently. After he left I fell to the floor and could not believe my luck. So after 7 years I finally came to the conclusion that there is no point in trying to avoid living in a house where a death has occurred, it seems to be my destiny. After further professional help I think I have finally gotten over my fears. My wife and 2 kids are happier than ever and have truly made this our home.

The thing that really gets me is why on earth do people get satisfaction from blabbering about the history of a house, even though the house I grew up in has had several deaths including my Dad, I would never ever consider telling the current owners unless they insisted on knowing what happened previously, and then I would be very vague about it or might even just tell a white lie.