All Forum Posts by: Katie B.

Thank you to everyone for the advice. We spent all day yesterday working to determine if we will be able to move forward with our plans to demolish. I never thought I would be in this situation and the initial shock was terrifying. We will probably never know what happened completely and it is possible that the death occurred on the property. Even with this information we are still going to move forward with the purchase. We are now looking at it in a positive light that we will be responsible for removing the negative and making it beautiful again.

Quote from @Matthew Paul:

You have to die somewhere . Ever been to a hospital ?  Odds are somebody died in the same bed you were lying in .   Its a non issue on buying land 

Thank you. I am a healthcare worker and have dealt with my share of death. The issue isn't the death at least for me but what other people might think of it when we are reselling. If I won't be able to rent or sell the property then that could be a major issue.

Quote from @Joseph Beilke:

@Katie B.

I agree with @Theresa Harris that some states require you disclose information on a property that had anything to do with death or a crime.  This could in the long run might have lasting effects for resale or even your ability to improve.  If you find out that this is not the case for this property and your long term goal is to completely reshape the property to the point where there is no visual remembrance of how it once was, I say move forward with the purchase. 

Thank you both. This is the major concern. The state does not require disclosure but that doesn't mean that potential buyers would not find out. The area we would build on right now is not on the property and we would be completely reshaping long term. I do worry about not being able to move forward with our plans to demolish because of it being an active crime scene. We need to look into how long this might affect our ability to improve it.

Quote from @Account Closed:

Quote from @Katie B.:

A body was found on a piece of property that we have under contract. It is a large tract that sits in a rectangle fashion on two major cross streets with a tear down house on the corner. The area is up and coming but in the future path of progress. Only about 12 min from a major town that has a lot of real estate demand. The body was found by a neighbor by the tear down house. Someone has been arrested and it appears the body was just dumped there. Our plan for the property was to develop the periphery with small rental homes on one strip and then subdivide into two lots to build a couple of homes to sell to pay off the loan we are taking out on the other strip. We would then sit on the rest. We would also immediately tear down the house and keep that area vacant and clear. We still want to buy the property but my nerves are getting the best of me and I can't sleep thinking about if I making the right decision. Will this hang over the property like a perpetual black cloud? Will anyone want to live there? 

I'd look at the historical crime rate for the immediate area. That will give you a better perspective of what to expect. According to the old movies on TV the gangsters ride around for a while and pick a random place before they dump bodies. I wouldn't expect a repeat.

Thank you for answering. The county overall has higher crime rates than average but this particular area is good. The house is in such bad condition and very scary. I think once it is torn down it will no longer hold any attraction.

A body was found on a piece of property that we have under contract. It is a large tract that sits in a rectangle fashion on two major cross streets with a tear down house on the corner. The area is up and coming but in the future path of progress. Only about 12 min from a major town that has a lot of real estate demand. The body was found by a neighbor by the tear down house. Someone has been arrested and it appears the body was just dumped there. Our plan for the property was to develop the periphery with small rental homes on one strip and then subdivide into two lots to build a couple of homes to sell to pay off the loan we are taking out on the other strip. We would then sit on the rest. We would also immediately tear down the house and keep that area vacant and clear. We still want to buy the property but my nerves are getting the best of me and I can't sleep thinking about if I making the right decision. Will this hang over the property like a perpetual black cloud? Will anyone want to live there? 

Jody - Thank you! That is good to know about property managers in Auburn. I will definitely PM you for more information. I have a property there that I will be renting soon after the summer.  Auburn is more expensive than some areas of Alabama but compared to Northern NV it is cheap in my opinion.  I do want a good return so I will look into other areas like suggested.  Thank you!

Joseph - Thanks!  I've looked at Montgomery briefly, mostly in 36117.  My mother assures me that it is the only good area, but I would love to chat with you more about it.  My husband and I are going to keep some of our money in the West for appreciation so cash flow is most important for now.

Christi - Thanks!  I will definitely look into Montgomery more.  We will be in the area in the summer so I will look you up.  Thanks again.

Hi, we are planning to move to the Auburn area.

Jerry, thanks for the reply.  We would definitely sell.  My question was more what would you invest in if in my situation to maximize income.  I have two rentals that I own already in Alabama because prices are cheaper there and rental income is better.  

My husband and I are trying to decide what to do with the equity in our primary residence.  We paid it off this year and with price appreciation over the past 7 years since our purchase, the house is now worth about 500K.  We are in our late 30's with two small children and want to maximize monthly income so we can work less and spend more time with our kids.  We are planning to move to Alabama in the next 1-2 years where my family is and where schools/cost of living is much better.  I have many different ideas about how to invest this money for the best return but I am curious as to what others would do in my situation.  Thoughts? And thank you!