Stigmatized property

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Stigmatized property is a term used in the real estate business which describes possible detrimental features of a property or home, all the result of unfortunate occurrences. These can include murder, suicide or even AIDS, in addition to a belief that a house may be haunted.

Famous homes, such as those used in television or movies, can also be stigmatized due to increased traffic from fans wanting to see the house in person. One such home is the house that was made famous in the film The Amityville Horror. The house which was located at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York was the site where Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered his family, and a little over a year later the Lutz family claimed that evil spirits drove them from their home. Since the film's release, the house has been renovated and the address changed in an attempt to prevent sightseers from disturbing the neighborhood.

Even though a particular buyer may not care about any stigma attached to the property, the stigma may make it very difficult to resell in the future. Therefore, while a buyer may or may not believe in supernatural phenomena, he/she may want to know about a property's bloody past. However, depending on the jurisdiction of the house, the seller may not be required to disclose the full facts.