Before moving into a new place, you tend to look for several things. The ideal neighborhood, the proximity to schools for kids, the accessibility to basic things in the area, and much more. But you might forget to ask about the deaths in the house you’ll lease or buy.
Although the stigma around death in a house is often unfounded, it is still prevalent in our society. Nevertheless, irrespective of your beliefs, you can always inquire about the details and be aware of them instead of knowing about them later once all the formalities are over and the deal is closed.
So, if you’re wondering how to find out if someone died in a house, look no further. In this article, we highlight the top 5 ways in which you can do so and become aware of all the necessary details before closing the deal on a property. Let’s jump right in.
Asking the Seller
Not all states make it mandatory for the seller to disclose information on deaths in the house in America. In fact, very few states, such as California, have such laws. So, you can begin by asking the seller. Based on your relationship with them and your perception of them, you can try to deduce whether everything they say is true. If you find something amiss or doesn’t add up, other ways exist to confirm/negate your suspicions.
For instance, you can always read the seller’s disclosure form, where you might either find data to not add up or be completely missing. In such cases, you can either confront the seller or talk to your agent or even try other methods to get to the bottom of it.
Talking to the People Around the House
You can start talking to the people who live in and around the area. Try to learn about the deaths in the house through them, who might be aware of what happened and can tell you in great detail because they are the neighbors. Speaking to other people and getting different opinions/thoughts always instills a certain sense of assurance in you. If they say nothing has happened, then nothing might have occurred.
However, there are also cases where the neighbors are relatively new to the area, or deaths might have occurred several decades ago. In such cases, the people will not know about the place. But don’t worry, we also have a solution for that.
Checking Aggregator Websites
Numerous platforms available on the internet can help you know the history of a place. These include sites such as House Creep, which lists different places across states where deaths have occurred. The websites will include how the person died, the name of the person, the date on which the death occurred, and more.
While House Creep primarily focuses on deaths with a horrific history, other sites are likely to list death by natural causes too. However, most of these sites charge a fee, and how do you know if the information you receive is legitimate or up-to-date? Thus it is always better to know the user sentiment before signing up for such platforms. Only if you find the source to be reliable must you pay the fee and get the information you need.
Accessing Public Records
If nothing else works, you can roll up your sleeves and start looking at public records yourself. Several states have laws about real estate that entail disclosing unfortunate incidents that took place on a particular property. For the safety of the citizens, certain kinds of death records are not available to regular citizens as they can be misused. For instance, a census about people’s identities and those who lived in a place is not available for 72 years. Thus you can access only those before 1951 (At the time of writing). In such cases, you must try to collate info from different sources and try to deduce if someone has died in your house.
Search the Internet
Sometimes, a simple Google search can do you wonders. If the house or the street has a name, you can type that and prefix it with terms such as ‘death’ or ‘murders’ or ‘suicide’ and see what pops up. You’ll be able to find news clippings about incidents in your house (If any) and also around your house (If any). Although you might have to go the extra mile to spend more time on the research, this is another good way for you to get what you seek.
FAQs
What public records to check to find if someone has passed in my house?
You can check the public census records if you’re looking for cases before 72 years. Otherwise, you can check the property’s records and the place’s history.
Are aggregator platforms helpful when discovering if a death occurred in my house?
Many platforms might be for the sake of entertainment, but some might be reputed and reliable when it comes to the information they provide. You can choose based on the user reviews for the website.
Can a death in my house affect my family or me?
More often than not, it will not affect you as the stigma is rooted in superstitions. But it is always good to be aware of such instances and choose based on your perception and comfort level.