Did Someone Die in Your House? Here’s How to Find Out

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New home shopping can be an exciting journey, and the last thing you want to discover after finding your dream home is its hiding secrets. Older homes are more likely to have had a death in the house. Different people, cultures, religions, and backgrounds have different feelings toward death and different comfort levels about living in a home where someone died. Regardless of your background, it’s common to want to know if there was a death in a home before deciding to live there.

Discovering if someone died in a house isn’t always an easy task, but it’s important because it can change your attitude about a home purchase if you’re deciding whether or not to buy the home. Knowing the history of deaths in your house can also help make you aware of safety issues in the neighborhood.

Finding the death history of your home isn’t always easy or immediately apparent when searching through listings. Here’s what you should know about finding information on deaths in your home and how they may impact the property’s value.

How do you find out if any deaths occurred in my house?

Some states require the disclosure of the death history of your home. If you don’t live in one of the required disclosure states, there are still several ways to find find out if someone died in the home.

Here are several ways to find out if there was a death in a house:

• Ask Your Real Estate Agent
• Run a Google Search
• Check Public Records and Local Archives
• Ask the Neighbors
• Ask the Previous Owners
• Use Online databases

Ask Your Real Estate Agent

One of the easiest ways to find out if someone died in the home is to ask your real estate agent. Real Estate Agents will likely know if someone died in the home, and in some states, agents are legally required to disclose information about deaths in a house.

Do a Google Search

Entering a prospective home’s address into Google is an effective and simple first step to finding out if someone died in the home. Of course, this doesn’t always have to mean a death occurred at an address. There could be other notable events that occurred, like certain crimes or house fires.

Check Public Records and Local Archives

Public archives such as census records, deeds, and death certificates are all great examples of the type of documents you can look at to find out if someone died in the home.

You can also contact the local library’s archives and regional genealogical societies to obtain house death records. Oftentimes, you’ll find the staff working at these places to be very knowledgeable of the area’s notable history and house history deaths.

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Talk to neighbors

Asking your neighbors if a death occurred at an address can be awkward, but it’s likely they would know if one of their neighbors died. You can approach them by simply asking what they know about the house and the people who have lived there.

If you suspect you may be buying a house where someone died, talking to neighbors can help you better understand the area and whether or not your suspicions are justified. Even if they don’t know if someone died in the home, talking to neighbors is a good way to get a better feel for the area’s vibe and safety levels.

Ask the Previous Owners

Though some may not want to be honest, many owners will be transparent about the home’s history. Sometimes, it might even be why they choose to sell the house. So even if you don’t expect them to be forthright, at the very least, it’s worth a shot.

Search Online Databases

Some websites track house death records and other various notable events that can occur in a home, such as crimes, fires, or deaths. Some examples of these sites you can use to find out if someone died in a house include:

• HouseCreep.com
• DiedInHouse.com

DiedInHouse.com is by far the most popular site to find out if someone died in the home and charges around $12 per search.

How do you find out if someone died in your house for free?

Some websites allow you to search for free if someone died in your house. However, these sites will have differing levels of credibility or may require you to pay to comb their records.

Another way you can find out if someone dies in your house for free is by reviewing census records via the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration or online databases. In addition, your area’s historical records can be beneficial for finding information if you live in an older home.

How can you find out if someone died in your house U.S.?

The quickest and easiest way to find out if someone died in your home is to order a report from a reputable provider. However, you can also find the information free with some research.

Can I search death records for free?

There are plenty of ways to search death records and to discover house history deaths for free. In fact, Many states have started to digitize the home death records to archive them in their collections. You can easily visit the corresponding website and view these digitized records to find deaths by address for free.

How do I find the history of my house?

At one point or another, you may want to check the history of a house. There are many good places to find details about property ownership and history, even house death records. Government offices, libraries, and historical societies are all great places to start your search to know if there was a death in a house.

Are death records public in the U.S.?

All records kept by the bureau of vital statistics or local registration officials, such as birth or death records, are almost always available to the public and a good place to find property history deaths.

However, there are some exceptions. Public records can be accessed by anyone interested, but the right to access these records is not always absolute. This means that specifically chosen public records can be restricted from the public for various reasons, which would make it difficult to find the property death records.

How do I find my ancestor’s death record?

There are many reasons for needing to access a certified copy of a death certificate. Maybe you need a records validation, tax documentation, or a title transfer.

Most official businesses, financial institutions, and land deeds require a certified copy of a death certificate to make changes to the deceased person’s account or ownership rights. In addition, other institutions like credit card companies can need a copy of the certificate to close accounts.

Here are several ways to check a death record:

1. Look online
2. Check death certificate archives and libraries
3. Pay to obtain the death certificate from a government agency

Should I buy a house where someone died?

Buying a house where someone died can potentially affect the property’s value, but it is not very likely. In most cases, you can buy a house where someone died and live in it without issues. If someone died in a home many years ago, the current seller or listing agent might not even know about it.

A high-profile murder case, however, can have a massive impact on the price of a home—and sometimes, these homes are torn down altogether. People all have different comfort levels and beliefs when it comes to house history deaths. If knowing a violent crime in the home disturbs you, it may be a good idea to look for another home where you can be sure no one died in the house.

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Does Your Agent Have To Disclose If A Person Died In a House?

Death disclosure laws will vary from state to state. There’s a good chance your agent doesn’t have to disclose that a past resident died in the home. Most states do not require sellers or agents to disclose deaths by natural causes. The only conditions that will legally require such disclosures are Alaska, California, and South Dakota. These states must disclose deaths in the home within the past three years.

On the other hand, most states will require full disclosure if there is a murder or a highly publicized death on the property. Though it’s not something discussed on paper, it can affect your property value, especially if there was a violent death in the house. Depending on the situation, it could cause a severe drop in demand for the home and, as a result, lower the home’s value.

It’s probably no surprise that deaths in newer homes more impact home values than in older homes. This is because it was more common to pass away in your home than now in the past, which means many old houses are likely to have natural deaths.

What Websites Show If Someone Died In a House?

There are many online sources for finding out if someone died in a. The most commonly-used service to find out if someone died in your house is DiedInHouse.com. This highly-trafficked site was founded in 2013. It allows you to perform a paid search for any known records of people who died in a home. You can also search public records such as deeds, property, and death certificates.

Summary

If you’re willing to put in a little effort, there are plenty of ways to find out if someone died in your house. Living in a home where someone died is avoided in some cultures. Whether for cultural or personal reasons, you should find many options for finding the history of your home or potential home. If you’re a buyer knowing if there was a death in a house, could impact your feelings about purchasing the home, which is why it’s important to do your due diligence.

In the best-case scenario, your real estate agent will disclose this information. If you cannot get this information from your realtor or question their word, the easiest way to find out if someone died in a house is to pay for a report. You can quickly run a search on sites such as DiedInHouse.com. You should also be able to find the information for free, relatively easy by searching public records, disclosure statements, and online news and databases.