Stigmatized Property Disclosure Law. Ohio (not sure about other states) law requires disclosure of a suicide, natural causes in some circumstances, murder, illegal drug activity, or reputation of the house being “haunted”. All of these could possibly impact market value.
I had a listing that was owned by a widow whose husband committed suicide. It was a high end property. They were in massive debt, he finished his morning run, went to the back yard and shot himself. Before I could list the property I needed a ruling from the board of realtors if I had to disclose as stigmatized. I did not have to disclose because he did it outside of the house. The poor lady was able to sell it without devaluing the property.
Wow. So it is true. “Stigmatized”—what a word.
Thanks for the info.
One of the authors on that Coast To Coast said the people who bought the house complained of specific things and when they innocently told the neighbors and townspeople they all said “Oh, yes. Exactly. That’s what the haunting has been like for everyone who moved in there.”
Makes you stop and think.