Caveat Emptor...

...is something we seemingly do not think about before we make a purchase in today's world of lawyers and law suits gone berserk. I guess too many of us are confident that everyone else owes us full disclosure about anything and everything when they are selling us something, but the truth be told, that just ain't so, at least in Florida folks. A prime example of this is to be found in the article at FoxNews.com: Florida Family Shocked They Weren't Told New Home Was Scene of Triple Murder-Suicide @:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,274393,00.html

Yep, the story reads just like the headline says it. No mention of lawsuits yet, I guess mainly because Florida law does not require a home seller to disclose such to the buyer, and I could live with that. Imagine the seller having to disclose such to the buyer, and then trying to get what the house was actually worth in the sale. Unlike having to let people know that the house is built with asbestos tiles, or has rotted beams, or whatever a home inspection may uncover; they do not have to let anyone know a murder was committed in the house. Now the people who bought the home are stunned to find out about the murders there, and I can understand that. Yet I also fully understand someone not disclosing such to a real estate agent or to potential buyers because the price of the home would probably plummet to much less than its value unless they were lucky enough to find a buyer who was into the macabre. I would think anyone who knew such took place in the home and did not try to get the price down at least in part based upon that knowledge would be a kook.

As far as an actual buyer's recourse would go in such a sale, I would say if you were foolish enough not to research the home before buying it regarding something like this which would make it impossible for you to live in the home, then you should be stuck with it, no law suits allowed. Could you just imagine the outcome if a seller had to tell you everything about people having died in a house, or about anyone who ever committed a crime in the home, or about anyone who lived in the house who was absolutely off their rocker crazy, or about any stories of the house being haunted, and on and on. Some houses would just never sell at a reasonable price. Sometimes it really the buyers who have to beware; otherwise they have to live with the consequences of buying something as high priced as a home without first having done their homework.

All the best,
Glenn B