apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

In your search for a house, you are going to come across a lot of close ones, a lot of places that will be ALMOST perfect. When you find your house, it will become clear why the other ones didn't work out. This one sounds like it won't work out. How can you ignore the history of it? It will always be a part of the house. How sad.

The same town, same highschool aspect of this is what weirds me out, otherwise I would have said "Go for it!" since the murder took place over forty years ago. The circumstances are just a bit too spooky and I think that would leave you feeling uneasy the entire time you were there.

haha! i would totally buy the place because i'm a friggin' sicko like that! to me, that's a selling point ahah

i know i'm in the minority here, but i do me some macabre.

The way your home makes you feel is entirely what makes it a home. If you don't feel good there, you need to move on.

i'm with grrliz. the same town, same high school thing is beyong eery. otherwise, considering the tragedy happened in the 60's, i probably would've said, sure why not?

woah...way way way too coincidental. I wouldn't be comfortable if I was in your position... but it would be a hell of a conversation starter!

Get it! the first thing you said was that it feels comfortable. What a great story -- sad, yes, but excellent for conversation. If it would make you feel better, dedicate a closet or a bathroom or a hallway space to some new articles about her and in spite of her murder, celebrate her life.

if u believe in ghosts, then pass. if not.....go nuts!

Too weird. I say don't do it.

Here in good old Hawaii (you know, that "exotic" country west of the Mississippi) a lot of people get houses or businesses blessed and nobody thinks anything of it. I have a friend who has each apartment she rents blessed before she even moves her piano over there. She also burns sage in every room (other people I know scatter sea salt). It seems to work for her--she's been happy every place she's lived. Her current resident sits over a garage where someone was killed about 10 years ago (!).

It seems like since you're wavering, you shouldn't do it. First time home (any home!) purchasing is a huge deal. From experience, this isn't something to rush into and the creep factor is a little too huge here!

I can totally understand where you're coming from, I get creepy out/superstitious about stuff too. Here are a couple of points which may set your mind at ease, or make the decision easier:

- the murder happened over 40 years ago; at this point I would consider it history rather than a threat; the killer is probably dead by now, or at the very least, very elderly

- how is the neighborhood? If it's a nice neighborhood than don't worry about something that happened a long time ago

- same hometown, same high school - that really is creepy, BUT at the same time odds are that the same thing won't happen to you (kind of like taking a plane flight the day after a major crash; probability is against your flight going down)

- you could have the place saged or "cleared" to flush out any bad remnant energy and balance it

- if you did decide you're ok with it and bought it, the history might affect your ability to sell it in the future

I don't know, it's a tough call. If it were me, I would skip it. The realestate market is in a downturn, so I would just wait for another great place to come along - there's bound to be a lot in the forseeable future, and for a better price.

I agree with the comments that you should go with your gut.

On the other hand, I would feel like it was meant to be. Maybe you get to have the life that she didn't get to have.

I work at a nonprofit that serves children with hearing loss. The house I grew up in was abandoned for nearly 20 years because it was under sad circumstances when we left. No one in the family wanted to think about it. When we finally did sell it, the buyer was the mother of a girl who is deaf. It made me feel much more hopeful about the house.

The law of averages would suggest that this is the best place for you to live--what are the chances of another graduate of your high school being murdered in the same place?

Seriously, don't let superstition/religion/psychobabble deter you from making a sound investment.

Someone's probably died on every square inch of earth, somewhere.

Try to get a price reduction.

If it freaks you out, you should move on. But the thing is, a lot of old houses are going to have people die in them. People get old and sick, they have accidents, ect. The older the house, the more likely it is that someone died there. As long as it doesn't give off creepy bad mo-jo vibes and you feel like you could get past the whole same town & high school thing, I'd go for it.

SF is full of cute post earthquake flats. If you pass on this one, you'll find another.

Since you're talking about a major investment and not just a simple rental, I say pass on the place. It doesn't matter if there's anything paranormal going on or not ... if you have hesitations (of any kind), don't do it. Like other people said, it's about the way you feel in the home first and foremost. If you're nervous before even moving in, imagine how much you will think about it once you are there 24/7.

If u love it so much just buy a cat or something, ghosts, mummies, vampires and all that kinda crap hate cats, apprently, keepers of the underworld or something.

or u could always get it exorcised, but i think if EVERYWHERE that some died, got murdered or something bad happened to them then everywhere would b haunted by something. tho most places would probably just b haunted by a aquarium worth of fish.

Yikes, that's too weird that the victim was from your same small hometown. Then again, SF was a magnet for all types of people from all types of places in the 60s, so...maybe it's not too weird after all.

I'm superstitious, so whenever I move into a new place I always sprinkle salt around all the windows and doors. It's new-agey b.s., but it makes me feel more settled, somehow.

If you do buy it and feel too creeped out, you can always rent it out and move elsewhere.

But if I were in your shoes? I'd pass on it.

I have come across some obstacles to finding the right place for myself and my daughter. Not quite as hair-raising as your experience, but a struggle non the less. I hate that I'm a procrastinator. Jill Butler, an author of "Create The Space You Deserve", showed me the rewards of taking action to make changes no matter what or how difficult. Getting started is definitely the most difficult, as she points out in her book, CTSYD.

If you're uncomfortable, then don't buy it.

I don't believe that the spirits of murdered people stick around necessarily, but I do believe that, on a molecular level, everything we do influences our surroundings (including inanimate objects) and we, in turn, are influenced by those objects. If a violent death occurred, the "influence" of that experience can still be felt in the immediate vicinity sometimes.

I like what ilovebutter and palmetto have said about the law of averages, but i agree that the creepiness factor would be a dealbreaker for me. My grandmother used to live in a house where the previous owner had hung himself in the garage (she got the house at a bargain) and I could never sleep there without thinking about it.

If it doesn't feel right, don't do it! Especially if you believe in ghosts, etc. However, if you believe things can be cleared, then have the house blessed/smudged/whatever and just go in there with a good attitude.

I'm not sure how much of the occult I believe in, but one thing I do believe in is residual energy.

A neighbor on my street growing up had a brain tumor and ended up with a very angry personality and killed a family member in the house. In general, it was a neighborhood where people moved in and stayed and generations lived a street or two from each other. But family after family moved into that house and moved out a short time later. There was never any talk of "ghosts" or anything, but it is my opinion that there is negative energy that is keeping people from feeling at home and comfortable there.

It is wise to recognize the history of the house and the possible issues that could result from that past (the market sure does take this into account when it comes to price).

I think it really depends on how much control you believe you have in defining the feel of the house. A friend of mine bought a house where a woman was killed by her husband when he discovered she was having an affair with the next door neighbor. But she got a great deal on the property and revitalized it with love and care in every room. It is a really nice place to be now, even knowing the history.

I have lived in an apartment that was part of an old funeral home and an apartment that was previously rented by a murderer. Both were great places to live, but they did have to go through therapy first! Are you willing to put in the work? And, do you believe that your actions can make a difference?

A lot of awful things could have taken place in the home that you would not know about (rape, abuse, death from means other than murder) and you'd probably happily buy the home and be comfortable in it, non the wiser to its history. When I was in college an extremely violent murder took place in a gorgeous house near the Stanford campus, and the day the story hit the local papers people were clamoring for information about the house; asking if they could come see it and how much was the asking price? There were bidding wars over it simply because it was so beautiful. The eventual owner had it space cleared and I've never heard of anything weird going on it.

You can have the house space cleared/ blessed by a priest/minister; that should make you feel better. If you are really bothered by the murder, don't buy the place, you'll never be happy in it.

Discount.

There's no scientific evidence of ghosts or any sort of "mysterious" temporal connection between past events and the present, in the manner that you're implying.
There's only the "power of suggestion".

300 years ago, thousands of Iroquois and Algonquin natives, as well as British and French soldiers, were slaughtered roughly where I live now... in the 3 centuries since, I'm sure there have been plenty of murders, accidents and deaths in my location. Nothing has "haunted" me so far.

Wow, I have never seen so many comments about a post.
I think this one is up to you- you seem to really love it-how about asking the sellers if you could just spend some quiet time alone in the house? I would probably plunk myself down on the ground and close my eyes and think about it. I think the answer will come to you- maybe let your body and or intuition tell you were you want to live after all, your body is the house where you live. Sometimes we use our heads too much.

There is a difference between the people-might-have-died-nearby or death-happens-everywhere mindset and the I-know-exactly-who-died-and-she-went-to-my-high-school thought process.

It just seems like bad mojo.
I say pass on the place.

No way! The coincidences are too much, and could trigger hauntings, for sure. If the case was never settled, more reason to think the spirit would be restless and looking for someone to identify with.

Besides, the point is that you feel weird about it, and you're the one that has to sleep there every night. It would always be in the back of your mind, and accumulate to a lot of tension over time.

You'll find the right place! Good luck!

Is it really going to keep you up at night? (and not just on Halloween?) If the answer to that is yes, then I would say don't buy it. Otherwise, go ahead!

About 15 years ago, two weeks after I moved into an ancient adobe house in New Mexico, the neighbors told me about the previous elderly occupant who'd been murdered by her son there. (Ah! That explained the chalk marks from investigators in strange out-of-the-way places that the landlords hadn't gotten to!) I had no choice but to make peace with what had happened. After a couple sleepless nights, I learned quick about space clearing and cleansing and found myself doing strange (to me then) things like talking to her, telling her all kinds of reassuring things. It soon became such a warm, welcoming nest, and I loved being there. No doubt this experience is part of why I eventually became a feng shui consultant! I've done a lot of space clearing since then.

My sense is that if you felt compelled to ask the question, it's a big enough deal to you that no matter what you do, you'll always have it in your mind that a murder took place there. If you decide to go for it, though, I'm happy to talk with you about options for clearing the space so you can rest easy about it.

Good luck!
Alison
www.InsideOutDesignCoaching.com
www.SpiritInTheCity.com

I don't know if you should move into it, but I do know it's the perfect backdrop for a darned good mystery novel!!!

Wow. I mean, *I'M* getting goosebumps thinking about this.

This isn't a case of someone just naturally dying. This woman was stabbed to death. That's a very angry crime and a horrific way to die.

And the fact that she came from your home town and went to your high school? That's too much for me.

wow, nope. don't do it!

I agree with Spirit in the City. If you felt the need to ask the question, it obviously makes you uncomfortable. I would pass on the place.

In 1999 Marilyn Lemak murdered her three children in their beautiful 136 year old Victorian home in downtown Naperville, IL. I was asleep three blocks away. The father sold the home back to the family of it's original owner...the first President of my Alma Mater, North Central College, which is directly across the street from the house. The new owners went through a million dollar renovation and returned the home to it's original condition. Then they donated the house to the college....it is a $4 million dollar house. The murders are brought up a lot, and while the college acknowledges it, they say they see the house mainly as part of the college's history, with tragedy and triumph in it's past. They plan on incorporating it into the campus. It's all in how you look at it. 10 years ago, we walked past the house in reverence, not imagining what they would do with it! Now, it's just a part of the home's long history. Have reverence for what happened there, but don't dwell on it. It was a long time ago and it has much more history to it than just that. MAke it your own and enjoy it.

Personally, I would not be able to buy it, knowing a murder had taken place there. It's one thing for someone to have died of natural causes or of an accident, but a murder? I would always be thinking about her last moments, how terrified she may have been, what she would have last laid her eyes on, what her thoughts were. For me it would be too much.

If you don't feel 100% excited about the place, skip it. Home should be the place where you're most comfortable in the whole world, and this clearly isn't going to fit that rule. Besides, we're talking about a huge investment. It's not like a good-looking but ill-fitting pair of shoes that you can donate to the Salvation Army if you decide you can't put up with the discomfort after a day or two of wear.

Consider having the place blessed or purged or some other ritual to let any bad lingering energy dissipate.

How did you research and find out about the murder and the details of the victim's life? Good sleuthing! It IS an interesting story.

If you decide to go for it, I'd definitely work the discount angle. Perhaps you can get permission to visit the flat exclusively to see if you feel comfortable there while alone (agent outside)?

So a murder took place more than 50 years ago? I live in a house in SF that use to be a brothel in the early 1900's. Does that mean I'll have better sex or ghost of sex worker are around?

Seriously if it bothers you that much, don't get it but the reality is that any house especially older homes have history.

I think the most important thing about buying a place is if you love it and feel comfortable. if there is anything you are questioning about it, maybe that is your sign to move on...

p.s. i actually think this gives the place character!

This is a city full of old buildings and has a rich, well-documented history of crime. I'll bet if more people researched the history of their homes they'd find all sorts of sordid pasts connected with them. My apartment building was connected with a serial killer in the 1970s and the back alley was a hotbed of gangs in the 1880s. I'm much more upset about the stabbing death that took place nearby last summer.

But if you're uncomfortable, don't do it. If you do, make sure it's a good neighborhood now!

I'd buy it. And I'd probably try to find out about the victim -- who was she? What was she doing in San Francisco? Maybe because my mother was a young woman in San Francisco in 1966 and my only real points of reference for her experiences in that moment are Love, Janis and the Cockettes. So I'm busy constructing a story about the murdered woman and her life hopes and dreams.

I do believe in ghosts, but I don't think you have to fear them all.

Um, except that 10 years ago I slept in a bedroom for a whole summer knowing that in that same bedroom a man had immolated himself (junkie, nodded off smoking, sheets caught fire) a year before. Not 40 years, one year. It didn't occur to me to be phased by it.

No no no no no. Too creepy.

It's a good conversation starter -- look at all the posts here -- and a good point of departure for a woman in danger film. And while I don't believe in ghosts or cleansing either, I do believe that you shouldn't move into a place that makes you uncomfortable for whatever reason. New places are stressful enough.

It is a coincidence. Many places have a history of deaths, accidents, bad feelings and even murder/crime. That is life.
But if you think it may bother you, don't buy it. Plenty of other places to feel good about.
And, if you are going to be affected by the history of your home, consider not doing research.

See, here's the thing. Completely ignoring whether there's any truth to the existence of the "supernatural." You, right now, feel uncomfortable. Your hackles were raised just by being in the same high school!

If you are scared by the idea, then even unconsciously, you will keep being scared. If the lights go out, that little tiny inner voice that doesn't listen to reason will panic. Problem with the water pressure turning the water on and off? It's the ghost! Cold drafts? Ghost! Bad light in a room that fritzed on an off a bit? GHOST!

Since it's pretty hard to change your brain, unless you think the tiny bit of fear is purely temporary, probably best to pass the place by.

Oh gosh, what a great story, I'd make hay out of that at dinner parties for years. Just imagine telling it, and having your partner thump around in the bedroom at the climax.

Good times!

Seriously, though, a building that's going on 100? I promise you folks have died in there. It happens. Think of Europeans living in their -really- old structures..

Plus there's that whole SF grave-moving thing, that was..less than complete, in a Poltergeist way. Old gravestones built into retaining walls, all that good stuff. Just part of the local color.

It's not the house for you. Listen to your gut and keep searching.

Good luck!

I would never do this. I had a home invasion robbery in my house when I was in High School. It was a beautiful house but I never felt comfortable there again. I definitely would live where some poor girl was murdered. Oh and the coincidences would not help the matter.

I have heard too many ghost stories to be ok with living in a place I already feel weird about. I would jump at every sound and see shapes in the dark. It doesnt take much for me, but I would agree with those that say- if you are asking now- dont do it.

too eery for me. i would pass and keep looking. i'd constantly be thinking about what happened and it would freak me out all the time. way to coincidental for comfort.

As others have mentioned, one option is to buy it and get a house blessing/space clearing.

I've had that done in my own home (which had no horrid things happen in it, as far as I know) by Shannon del Vecchio, and I highly recommend her.

I don't believe in ghosts but I also wouldn't feel good about living somewhere with a violent past either. Trust your gut instinct is my advice.

Another vote for trust your gut, especially if you are at all superstitious. Heck, I am only reading about this and visibly jumped when the fridge cluncked on. I'd be a mess in that flat!!!

Was the murder even in that apartment? I re-read the question and it was in the building - in the apartment you're considering, or a different apartment or hallway? I think the scaryness would pass once you made it your own. I think of buying a home, that must be a lot to think about and if you are looking for an unconscious reason not to commit, this is as good as any. There may be something wrong with every place you find, and you could just as easily regret not snapping this up when you had the chance if you do pass on it.

I do believe in gut feelings, but I also think there are things you have to tell yourself are silly. If you are having a gut reaction, it sounds like you are talking yourself out of it, and trying to rationalize that you're just being silly, but you should stick with your gut. If, on the other hand, you actually are being silly, don't try to convince yourself it's a gut instinct. I can't feel what you're feeling, but in the same situation I would tend toward the latter, and buy the place. Then again, don't panic and force yourself to be ok with something you're not ok with; as long as you don't protract that essence, you'll find someplace ideal for you.

The reality of the situation is that you're uneasy about living there. Luckily for you, you have time to time about it. Because of the market it's not likely someone else will pick it up. I would pass for now and perhaps come back to it. If it sells it wasn't meant to be and you have the reassurance that you didn't by a place that made you uncomfortable. I think it's win win. Just sit on it and see how you feel in three weeks or so.

Go with your gut. If your gut says no, its already made the decision for you.

A home is where we seek comfort.

If the issue bothers you a lot, don't buy the house. It will not be a real home for you if you spend most of your time in it worrying about its past and feeling jittery about te whole thing. I'm sure there's a lot other interesting places you may find...good luck!

Has anyone commenting here actually bought a house? Going with your gut is a good way to lose money and buy a dud or miss a great chance. Take your emotional response into account, but don't let some mumbo-jumbo cloud your judgment.

I'd be equally as concerned if someone was jumping to buy a place because a saint lived there or some "miracle "occurred. I guess I favor rationality over superstition or religion.

There are plenty of great place to live in SF. If you are already thinking these things creep you out, imagine at night, or on a (famously) foggy day. I'd move on to another place. BTW, as a kid my family lived in a place that was rumored to be "haunted", and whether or not you believe in that kind of thing, I was scared and creeped out all the time. Also, I am a home-owner, and have passed on purchasing homes if something just didn't seem right! Buying a house is scary enough without additional (strange) factors.

Good luck!

Well, even if you want to be rational and say the murderer must be elderly and that ghosts don't exist, you'd still be living with the uncomfortable feeling that something terrible could happen to you at any moment in the big city. It's probably not a positive way to approach your life.

Palmetto, I've bought two houses and felt positive about both. Mellyn is having distinct negative vibes about this place, and for that reason alone I think she should pass.

You can also research the title history of the place. Have your realtor help. How long were the previous owners there? The ones before? If you've just got a few long-term owners in the last 40 years, it's probably a very comfy home.

If you're not comfortable there, it doesn't make sense to make it into your "the biggest investment" of your life. There are many other condos to buy, and in the future you have problems selling it because of it's bad history.

madampince - Mellyn said the place had a good feel and was charming. Her negative vibes about it came from doing research, and it's not become clear yet whether the murder was in the apartment or somewhere else in the building.

I would say she has found something to be scared of, but I don't know what kind of history she went looking for. It is spooky and coincidental, and I think if you're the type of person to be bothered by it, it will not let you rest in your own home. That's not superstition, per se, it is more of an emotional barrier to enjoyment, which may be based on superstition, but hey. An emotional barrier which you are powerless, or believe yourself to be powerless, to remove is going to mess up a perfectly nice home for you, so don't do it. On the other hand, if you can get over it, do so. The apartment had a good feel and was charming until she knew too much. Nothing was going to make her restless until she uncovered some violence in the past which isn't actively reoccurring.

For a year, I lived in an apartment where a double suicide had taken place in the 1970s (neither I nor my landlady were aware of that when I signed the lease). Apart from the occasional strange noise and unexplained shadow, it didn't put me off. I was actually more bothered by the ugly repair lines on the living room wall (from a reckless driver crashing into the building in 2002).

Living near a murder site probably wouldn't faze me, but I don't scare easily. The bottom line is, if you have to ask yourself if you can live in that building, the answer is probably no.

I was fascinated reading everyone's response to this conundrum!

Personally, I'd say this:

-Murder is more atrocious than [natural, accidental] death. There most definitely needs to be some purification going on there: I'm a sage person, myself.

Overall, I agree with raven, when they wrote, "I have lived in an apartment that was part of an old funeral home and an apartment that was previously rented by a murderer. Both were great places to live, but they did have to go through therapy first! Are you willing to put in the work? And, do you believe that your actions can make a difference?"

Obviously, if you believe that your actions can make a difference in changing the energy/feel of a place, then I say go for it. How many events aligned to bring you to this dwelling? ;) If you love it, go for it!

I went through the home buying process about 10 months ago, I walked through many houses that "almost" felt right. My realtor was very positive and said I'd know the place when I walked in, it would be an instant thing. She was right. If this is how you felt when you walked in, I say go for it. Everywhere has history, some histories are better than others, but unless you buy a new home on virgin land you're gonna have some history/ghost to live with.

I mean no disrespect to the people who believe in energy, ghosts, etc, but, in my opinion:

This is a material world. Unless you think there is an elderly killer in the neighborhood with a grudge against your old high school, get the house and forget the past! You could easily have bought it WITHOUT knowing the history and it would make no difference. Life is not a slasher flick. Coincidence is not the same thing as foreshadowing outside of fiction.

Not to sound weird, but maybe you were meant to find that home.

I would do a sage cleansing and move in with peace rather than fear in your head.

It really comes down to whether you're going to feel comfortable alone in the apartment once the realtor and movers leave. It's a big investment. If there is a doubt in your head, I'd listen to it.

Either way, good luck on buying your first home, whether it be this one or another!

Okay, my friend Linda and her boyfriend got a great deal on a house in a great neighborhood that also happened to be the scene of a notorious Omaha murder in the 70s. It had really gone to pot and the current tenants were freaky squatter crackheads, but the bones were wonderful and it was a steal.
Actually, her boyfriend went to the house to look at a car, and the guy living there offered to sell him the house at a bargain basement price (the other houses in the neighborhood are in the $2-300,000 range, large and well kept, it's next to a beautiful park).
The realtor was legally bound to disclose, but Linda claims she didn't know until after she signed the papers and it was too late. She was totally creeped out the week they moved in, tried to do a space clearing with sage but still couldn't sleep, scary dreams etc. so she called me (my mom is into the real 'woo-woo' stuff and knows a lot of interesting people) to see if I knew someone who could "cleanse" the house. Of course I did.
The medium (Priya) came and took several hours to speak to/release the spirit of the young murdered woman, (a young nursing student who was bludgeoned to death on the stairway) whose soul was still confusedly hanging around the house, helped her "go to the light" and things were immediately much better. It's interesting that the man who murdered her got the death penalty and was killed as well quite a few years ago. They had to call Priya back and have her come in again to get rid of his spirit too. Their take on it now, validated by Priya, was that they were "chosen" to purchase the house because they WERE the type of people who would take action to release the two souls that were bound the the property and hadn't passed correctly. Geez, do I sound like John Edward or what?
All I know is, the house is lovely and bright and the energy feels great now. They've remodeled it from top to bottom over three years and haven't had any more incidents or creepy feelings.
Granted this is going to sound totally crazy to a lot of people but who cares? My advice, find a good medium you trust and have them come scope the property (free, of course) and listen to what they have to say. Then let your inner guidance be the final word.

NOOOOOOOO!!! If it was unresolved. DEFINATE NO!!!

Recently we bought a house... then 2 weeks later the lady across the street was murdered by her ex husband who then shot himself. We heard the shots, we heard the screams... The ONLY thing that makes me feel better is knowing that the guy was caught (he didn't die). Otherwise I would have moved.

Not saying old mate who stabbed the poor woman will come and get you... but wouldn't it severely decrease your qualitly of life. Don't be like me... sitting at home, alone at night thinking... WHAT WAS THAT NOISE!?!

The thing that really fills me with horror is that the election of the leader of the free world in November will be the responsibility of the superstitious nutbags commenting on this post.

You haven't mentioned whether or not you believe "exorcism" or "purification" so I don't know if doing one of these things would make you feel any better. (And that's what it's all about right?)

It's more than a little freaky, and I wouldn't be able to sleep there without thinking about how this poor woman died, and where it happened, and how someone got in, so I don't think I would be able to take the place no matter how much sage I burned.

A million people are going to comment here about how their friends uncle's band teacher moved into a house on an Indian burial ground/where someone snapped and killed their entire family/where the walls dripped blood, etc., but in the end people who believe in ghosts will probably find them, and people who don't, won't.

if you feeling BAD vibes or weird about it, DEFINITELY do NOT do it!

many times we go wrong in life, when we fail to listen to our gut instincts/ inner voice...

SSS

if i was in your situation I would pass this one.

People doing bad things to each other has absolutely NOTHING to do with where they are doing those bad things - a murder is a murder and is in no way dependant on where it happened - it is purely dependant on the person who did the killing

If a serial killer was killing people this week and was on the loose in your neighbourhood then I'd say you'd have cause to worry

But something that happened 40-odd years ago has absolutely NO relevance to that apartment today

Extrapolate how many people must have gone through your high school in those 40 years - I bet its a lot - and San Fran is a popular city to move to - so its not that much of a coincidence

Think of it this way - how many former residents of this apartment do you think contracted illnesses while living there? - probably a lot - but you wouldn't say "I'm not buying this house because someone lived here who once had cancer" - you'd never buy anywhere!!

The human mind is the only thing that will affect how you feel in this apartment - not what happened in the past - if you like it, and its a good deal, then buy it - live your life with all the joy you can - and don't let a murderer ruin your life as well as that other girls.

The thing that gets me is, ok, more than one thing: there may be so many things they don't have in common. Young single woman from her town and high school, is that spooky enough, if you knew anything else about her that doesn't match?

The other thing was this sage ritual. I keep hearing about it and somehow people just have so much confidence that it works. If I had some palpable icky feeling about a place that was going to distract me from settling in and enjoying it, no amount of ritual is sacred enough to erase that feeling. I am capable of letting my imagination get the better of me, despite how insensible it would be, but I'm not capable of believing in this sage thing. I think it's the power of suggestion that makes it work to reset the perceptions in the mind, and I would require a different form of it. I'm surprised how popular it is, and how nobody has thought of any other hippity-hop light something on fire and chant away the goblins that's just as effective. Psychiatry works too, but not always.

I can't believe so many readers are that superstitious! It doesn't matter what's happened there in the past, it's what you make of it yourself. You created your own uncomfortable situation, I think you should re-talk to yourself and remember what you felt BEFORE you dug up stuff that doesn't matter.

The place sounds killer. I bet you're dying to get in there.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

This is kind of off on a tangent, but... to all the commenters who think all of these folks are being superstitious and that clearing only works because a person believes it works: do you pray?

Marska: No of course I don't pray - I don't believe there is a sky pixie up there determining our fate
and I don't believe that something that happened 40 years ago will have any effect on a person now except if she keeps thinking about it she'll convince herself the place feels creepy

Two Words: Amityville Horror. That book/movie is the final word on buying houses where murders took place.

Amityville Horror - fictional story!!!!

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/amityville.asp

Did we ever find out if she took this place or not?

No No NO!

you people are all CRAZY! Seriously though, buy the house if you like THE HOUSE, unless you didnt like the house before you found out about the murder...but it seems you did. Keep your head on straight.

When my daughter (an attorney) was in college, she pet-sat one night in a nice home. The next morning she told me Oh, Mom, I couldn't sleep at all. I had the most horrible feeling there, like I was in danger.

A couple weeks later, the pet owner, a young attractive woman, was raped and robbed in her home.

Don't ignore your instincts. Even security experts advise that. Animals don't ignore their instincts and we shouldn't, either.

Just because you know that someone died in this building doesn't mean that no one died in all the OTHER places you've lived. You just know about this one.

Death happens, ghosts aren't real, people have random "weird feelings" ALL THE TIME and don't get murdered afterwards. Keep a level head about it.