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“Are you serious? You mean the homicide was right here? And you want me to live here?” This could be the reproach from a serious buyer who is shopping for a house with his realtor in Costa Rica. This is not from a suspense novel, written by a client.
During the showing, the potential buyer heard from the neighbor, peeking over the fence, that the seller’s husband had been killed in the house for sale. People in Costa Rica also die, as you probably already suspected, from a homicide. Sometimes, homeowners pass away in their sleep, and other times, they are killed violently. Once they die, their family might or might not put the house up for sale.
The sellers probably told the real estate agent that mom and dad moved to a condo. So there was a good chance that nothing needed to be disclosed. Unless it was a widely advertised homicide, the agent probably would have never found out about it. Costa Rica is a small country. But in the barrios where expats live, homicides are not very usual, unless you believe the statements by the US embassy in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is and has always been safer than many U.S. cities. You probably have a better chance of being hit by a bus while crossing the street here than getting murdered in your home.
Just One Case
In my whole, over 30-year real estate career, I only know of one case because he was a friend of mine. This friend was a Dutch-American. He was killed because his Tica wife wanted his money.
She didn’t know he was on a pension. And the house they were living in was owned by his nephew. She thought he had a lot of money.
But he got killed in another place and not even in the house. So I never felt bad about advertising his home for sale. The widow and her two young friends in crime received a 20-year jail sentence in November 1998.
Disclosure?
But will a Costa Rica real estate agent disclose a homicide in the home that is for sale?
Honestly, I doubt a real estate agent will disclose the homicide, even if the seller disclosed it to the agent. Even in the US, in most states, there is no obligation to disclose a homicide on a property for sale. It is mandatory in California, Texas, and Hawaii. In California, it is only an obligation if the murder was committed within the last three years, unlike Florida, where the seller has no legal obligation (or the realtor) to disclose a homicide on the property.
Value
Not only will the value of the house drop tremendously if the murder is disclosed. It will also be tough to sell the house to a local buyer. That’s because Latin Americans are even more superstitious than we Caucasians are.
If I find out that someone was killed in the house, I probably won’t take the listing in the first place. Unless it is a great investment property and the price is right. Most real estate investors wouldn’t care if there was a murder on the property. As long as they can buy it at a great price, rent it out, and get the right ROI. So if you had a homicide on your property and you want to sell, assure yourself to price the house right. Also, find a good and hardworking real estate agent. Be sure to disclose the homicide to the agent, though. So the agent won’t be caught not disclosing it to the buyer and feel cheated.
This blog was written in honor of my old friend Willem Ouwehand; his wife had him killed. May Memo rest in peace.
Feel free to contact us to list your property in Costa Rica if we have an agent in your area.
