buying "haunted" homes

SummerSmiles · #1 Apr 2, '12, 10:11 am

My DH and I are currently looking to purchase our first home. And as we're looking, we're talking with friends, family, coworkers etc. to try and get as much information as we can to help us make a good decision. The topic of haunted homes has come up quite frequently recently.

One friend purchased a home from a deceased person's estate and now claims that the old homeowners are still in the house. They're not doing anything threatening; just mischievous things like moving items from one room to the other. A coworker just sold her home that she believe was haunted. She recently returned to the home to see if her cat, who keeps returning to the old home, is still around and the new owner asked her if that house is haunted. We've heard similar stories from a few other people as well.

So, is there any way to avoid buying a home like that? And what happens if we get into a house, and then figure out that weird things are happening in it? I'd like to think I'm just being paranoid, but we've talked to many people who have claimed to have things happening in their houses so it's difficult for me to just brush it off. Of course, we could just have our Realtor ask the sellers if anything strange happens around the home, but I'm not sure that many sellers would be willing to disclose that information... suggestions?

PatriceA · #2 Apr 2, '12, 10:20 am

When we were looking, a house being "haunted" wasn't even a consideration. But we did have our house blessed by our priest when we were moving in. I did also bless every room in the house with holy water myself. But during the "looking " phase, I prayed a lot for God to lead us to the house He wanted us to raise our family. That was more important to me than giving credence to a house being "haunted."

Havard · #3 Apr 2, '12, 10:37 am

Oh, I love this topic!

What you're talking about is called "stigmatized property". The laws on disclosure of stigmatized properties vary by jurisdiction. If you have an agent, he or she may have some knowledge of the law in yours, but they can't dispense legal advice, so if this is really important to you, you might consider asking a local lawyer.

SummerSmiles · #4 Apr 2, '12, 10:56 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatriceA

When we were looking, a house being "haunted" wasn't even a consideration. But we did have our house blessed by our priest when we were moving in. I did also bless every room in the house with holy water myself. But during the "looking " phase, I prayed a lot for God to lead us to the house He wanted us to raise our family. That was more important to me than giving credence to a house being "haunted."

It never crossed our minds before now. Things changed when so many people that we know first-hand started talking about how they had strange things happening in their homes. We do plan on having our new home blessed by our parish priest regardless of whether it has a rumor of being haunted or not, but I'd just like to know what I'm getting myself into.

SummerSmiles · #5 Apr 2, '12, 10:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havard

Oh, I love this topic!

What you're talking about is called "stigmatized property". The laws on disclosure of stigmatized properties vary by jurisdiction. If you have an agent, he or she may have some knowledge of the law in yours, but they can't dispense legal advice, so if this is really important to you, you might consider asking a local lawyer.

Hmmm, I'll have to start digging around to see what I can find out about this, thanks!

Marchmain1987 · #6 Apr 2, '12, 11:22 am

This is a bit medieval in thought - but here it goes:

The dead are in one of three places: Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Those in Purgatory can appear to the living to ask the living for prayer. However, they never, directly, speak to the living.

Any other types of manifestations from the dead must be taken with some caution (especially when they involve tricks, games, coded messages, etc.).

This comes from Satan's Rhetoric: A Study of Renaissance Demonology.

At least that is what the documents examined in the books say, lol.

Nimzovik · #7 Apr 2, '12, 11:40 am

See here: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=583976 Altho the topic starts with dreams it quickly discusses the house.

Little Mary · #8 Apr 2, '12, 11:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marchmain1987

This is a bit medieval in thought - but here it goes:

The dead are in one of three places: Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Those in Purgatory can appear to the living to ask the living for prayer. However, they never, directly, speak to the living.

.

Really?

Marchmain1987 · #9 Apr 2, '12, 1:05 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Mary

Really?

It is not dogma.

But that is what the texts examined say - in summary.

The author was trying to examine demonology from the perspective that the people in question who wrote this material actually believed in the fallen angels. He did not try to psychoanalyze the authors.

He has another book about St. Maria Maddalena de'Pazzi - interesting stuff, even for the novice.

SilverLight · #10 Apr 2, '12, 1:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SummerSmiles

My DH and I are currently looking to purchase our first home. And as we're looking, we're talking with friends, family, coworkers etc. to try and get as much information as we can to help us make a good decision. The topic of haunted homes has come up quite frequently recently.

One friend purchased a home from a deceased person's estate and now claims that the old homeowners are still in the house. They're not doing anything threatening; just mischievous things like moving items from one room to the other. A coworker just sold her home that she believe was haunted. She recently returned to the home to see if her cat, who keeps returning to the old home, is still around and the new owner asked her if that house is haunted. We've heard similar stories from a few other people as well.

So, is there any way to avoid buying a home like that? And what happens if we get into a house, and then figure out that weird things are happening in it? I'd like to think I'm just being paranoid, but we've talked to many people who have claimed to have things happening in their houses so it's difficult for me to just brush it off. Of course, we could just have our Realtor ask the sellers if anything strange happens around the home, but I'm not sure that many sellers would be willing to disclose that information... suggestions?

Actualy I did hear that you can ask if a home is haunted befor you buy it.
I also think that sometimes the activity can start at anytime realy for me it started when my grandfather died but I know it was just him checking in on his only grandchild(me) and it warms my heart to know that. I like to think he drops in from time to time mostly on the holidays just to check in on things and see how we are all doing.

Little Mary · #11 Apr 2, '12, 3:55 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marchmain1987

It is not dogma.

But that is what the texts examined say - in summary.

The author was trying to examine demonology from the perspective that the people in question who wrote this material actually believed in the fallen angels. He did not try to psychoanalyze the authors.

He has another book about St. Maria Maddalena de'Pazzi - interesting stuff, even for the novice.

Thanks for the info.

Bklynguy · #12 Apr 2, '12, 8:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marchmain1987

This is a bit medieval in thought - but here it goes:

The dead are in one of three places: Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Those in Purgatory can appear to the living to ask the living for prayer. However, they never, directly, speak to the living.

Any other types of manifestations from the dead must be taken with some caution (especially when they involve tricks, games, coded messages, etc.).

This comes from Satan's Rhetoric: A Study of Renaissance Demonology.

At least that is what the documents examined in the books say, lol.

In other words, Satan and his angels can disguising themselves as otherwise harmless spirits? I ocassionally watch shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. First of all, I take the shows with a grain of salt. Having said that, I always found the "children spirits" quite baffling---sometimes I would actually think to myself, "Why would God leave them in the lurch?"

Bklynguy · #13 Apr 2, '12, 8:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havard

Oh, I love this topic!

What you're talking about is called "stigmatized property". The laws on disclosure of stigmatized properties vary by jurisdiction. If you have an agent, he or she may have some knowledge of the law in yours, but they can't dispense legal advice, so if this is really important to you, you might consider asking a local lawyer.

Other than following the advice above regarding stigmatized property, there probably isn't a whole lot else you can do.

However, I will say that if someone in your family has an unexplained aversion to the home, it is probably a good idea to take them seriously and let them have their say instead of falling into group think because, "We love the house so much and it is so perfect and..."

Good luck with your search and please keep us posted!

Bklynguy · #14 Apr 2, '12, 8:32 pm

I should say that my wife is quite sensitive to these kinds of things. She frequently sees a shadow of a man wearing a top hat (we live in a very old house) walking back and forth from the bathroom to the kitchen. She did some research and apparently found that a long time ago, a man died in a kitchen fire in the house.

Now, I don't know whether she is actually seeing something, or if she is just allowing her imagination to get away from her. However, I suggested that, the next time it happens, to say a prayer for the person. If it isn't really happening, it's not like the prayer is going to be wasted.

SilverLight · #15 Apr 3, '12, 8:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bklynguy

I should say that my wife is quite sensitive to these kinds of things. She frequently sees a shadow of a man wearing a top hat (we live in a very old house) walking back and forth from the bathroom to the kitchen. She did some research and apparently found that a long time ago, a man died in a kitchen fire in the house.

Now, I don't know whether she is actually seeing something, or if she is just allowing her imagination to get away from her. However, I suggested that, the next time it happens, to say a prayer for the person. If it isn't really happening, it's not like the prayer is going to be wasted.

The Hat Man....I saw him to in the doorway to the hallway mine did not have a top hat but still.