Thread: Realtor sells house without disclosing it was a murder scene

Varaschin’s home sold, buyer unaware of history


Orangeville Article: Varaschin’s home sold, buyer unaware of history

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Reminds me of an apartment building I was doing once. 20 units or so and all were toally run down - 30 year old carpet, cabinets, fixtures, etc. All except for one unit - everything brand new. Every fixture and surface... it looked like new construction. It was just myself and the property manager going through and he kind of stammered and said, "uh, yeah.... there was an incident here a few months ago." - yep..... you just can't get blood stains out of shag carpet.

I don't understand why this is a disclosure item. It has no impact on the quality of the home. Some people are afraid of cats, but prior occupancy by a cat is not a disclosure item.

Originally Posted by Darrel Hood

I don't understand why this is a disclosure item. It has no impact on the quality of the home. Some people are afraid of cats, but prior occupancy by a cat is not a disclosure item.

No, it might not impact the quality of the home but it can definitely impact some individuals. A home purchase is a very emotional process and everyone acts and reacts differently. Death is a very emotional process add in murder and it opens a pandora's box of possible emotions to anyone who might purchase a home that this has taken place in.

I inspected a home this week that the owner died in. How did I findout? While inspecting, the owner of the home from across the street came over to "meet" the new owners. She volunteered the information on the former owner and that it was about 3 weeks before anyone discovered that this person had passed away.

This home was also completely new and "remodeled" on the inside. My clients(the buyer) had no idea, their agent had no idea and it was not on the disclosure statement.

TN does have a requirement to list any known deaths in the property that are known about on the disclosure statement. I received a call the next day from the agent telling me that the buyers walked and will have another home for me to inspect next week.

I agree this some people react to this, just like they do with cats, smokers, swingers, etc. Yet none of the other items are disclosure items.

Regardless of disclosure laws, I would not want to be in that buyer's position.

There is an ongoing investigation and the murderer has not been caught and convicted. Criminals are known to "return to the scene of the crime". That makes this house an ongoing potential crime scene I would not live in.

Sadly, between violent crime and drugs, it behooves buyers to check with the police before purchasing.

Years ago, I bought a house from an employee who's brother and sister shot-gunned their mother in her bed. I re-did the house. River front lot. Nice house. small town Dayton, Tenn. Couldn't give it away.

JLMathis

Owners don't disclose that the roof leaks, there's water in the basement or the the floor joists are eaten by termites.

Why is the HECK would you think that they would or should disclose something like my mother was murdered in the home last year and my son was arrested for manufacturing drugs and distribution???

If the buyer doesn't like it they should just sue the Home Inspector. It's always their fault. And besides, the insurance companies will just throw money at them to keep them happy and they can recoup it from the inspectors deductible.

... or in this case the purchaser will sue the agents and the broker.... $cha-ching, $cha- ching... This is one case where the inspector won't be sued, and thats a good thing!

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

... or in this case the purchaser will sue the agents and the broker.... $cha-ching, $cha- ching... This is one case where the inspector won't be sued, and thats a good thing!

That article says the buyer will be getting his deposit back.

I got a call from a Realtor I hadn't worked with to do an inspection of a house for a buyer. The house was a half-mile from home, but I remembered an incident on that block a few months before where a man shot his estranged wife during an argument(she later died), and called a friend and said he was going to kill himself. The police arrived, situation escalated with SWAT team and helicopter. A standoff of a few hours before the man killed himself.

After receiving the inspection request and making an appointment, I 'Googled' the address and determined that it was the scene of the murder-suicide.

I arrived at the inspection, met the agent who was there without the buyer. I had decided that I was not going to be the only person with this knowledge! Evidently, the house was in foreclosure at the time of the crime. I mentioned to the agent that the home had a history.... and he said he knew it also, but the listing agent who got the listing as an REO did not know about the history immediately.... damn banks never disclose. But, at contract time all was disclosed.

I later asked the buyer agent how it all closed. He said the buyer gave the local pastor, Father O'brien a bottle of Irish Whiskey and he came over and scared the demons right out of the house!

PS: There was no blood or other evidence that I saw. I also bought a house 13 years ago that had a elderly co-owner who died at home just before I bought the house. I had no issues either, no regrets. But, I do understand how some have strong cultural or spiritual issues surrounding tragedies like these.

Odds are that many of us have inspected homes for clients that had a "History" that we were unaware of at the time. Think about it.... would you have written your report any differently or inspected the home in any other manner than what you did if you had of known? Where do you draw the line? I feel that the seller should disclose anything that would affect the resale value of the home. I stay within my comfort zone and report on the structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing issues of the home. If I see any evidence of Ectoplasm....I report that as well

My current home before I purchased it was a weekend home. After purchase it came to light that the home had been broken into. Turns out the house was a hideout for a mass murder and rapist.

Had I known at the time of purchase it would not of affected my purchase of the home, however it is a material fact.

I often wonder whether there are any items from his crime spree buried or hidden on the property.

Sometime ago after I moved in (back in the mid 90's) I was in the hay loft thinking to my self about what could be hidden in the bales of hay. I no sooner thought that then I found a heavy splitting axe handle sticking out from the hay. Pulling the axe out I was relieved to find it free of blood or any hair. But who knows how it got there...

He was finally apprehended in BC, and subsequently sentenced to life and labelled as a dangerous offender which will keep him in jail long past his 25 year sentence.

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