Stigmatized Properties

The topic of this communication will be brief: stigmatized properties.  What is a stigmatized property?  

"In real estate, stigmatized property is property which buyers or tenants may shun for reasons that are unrelated to its physical condition or features. These can include death of an occupant, murder, suicide, serious illness, belief of the house being haunted, etc." 

There are a wide variety of reasons which could psychologically impact a property.  Now here's the important part, you MUST ask in order to find out these details.  When you are considering buying a home, it's not a listing realtor's obligation to inform you of these details.  However if you ask the question, they must answer honestly in one of two ways:

When asked about the possible existence of stigmas that might affect the property the seller, or licensees representing the seller, may:

a) answer the question directly; or

b) decline to answer the question and advise the buyer to conduct their own investigation

Many people believe this sort of thing has to be mentioned to you up front when that is not the case (in British Columbia).  So there you have it, make sure you ask lots of questions!!

Thank you for reading and for your business, I really do appreciate it!!