The Cascade Team Blog

• DiedInHouse.com uses a multitude of  sources to tell users whether anyone has died in their house
• Thousands of requests have been submitted  since its launch on June 1, with Texas and California proving the most popular  states
• Website has maligned real estate agents,  who say it affects business
• Follows landmark case in which widow  failed to prove she was duped when owners didn't disclose her new house was the  site of a murder-suicide

By  Daily Mail Reporter

It's the website that is allowing people to  rest easy (or cause them even more sleepless nights!) by pinpointing which  houses were the site of an American horror story.

One year in the making, DiedInHouse.com is a new  means of finding out if someone died in your home.

CEO Roy Condrey said he was inspired to  create the site after a tenant renting a property of his in Columbia, South  Carolina, informed him the place was inhabited by ghosts.

Under the impression there were laws in place  to disclose a death in a residence, Condrey was shocked to find there weren't  any.

Predominant US state laws only require the  disclosure of violent deaths.

While the site is benefitting those who  have  long held the belief their house was haunted by pulling up  relevant historical  information, it is proving even more advantageous to  homeowners or potential  buyers.

Freaky: A new website is helping people - and putting  off real estate agents - by providing information on whether someone has died  inside a residence

It's much harder to sell a house at a premium  price when a buyer knows something grisly has unfolded inside.

'It occurred to me that a service which told  people who died in their homes before they moved in would be popular,' Condrey  told the Houston Chronicle.

'It's harder to find things like this out  than you think.'

Texas, for example, is a non-disclosure  state.

'Per the Texas Association of Realtors  Seller’s Disclosure form it is not a requirement to disclose a non-violent death  that occurred on the property,' said Houston real estate agent Danelle  Reed.

'However, a violent death — like a murder —  must be disclosed.'

According to Condrey, since sending the site  live on June 1, he has had the most hits from people in Texas and  California.

California residents, he says, are interested  in the many famous murders and deaths in the state and the possibility that one  may be linked to their house.

It costs $11.99 to submit a  request.

Once a user logs on and enters an address,  Condrey and his team of staff search through a multitude of sources to deliver  information on previous owners and whether or not anyone met their demise inside  the residence.

The site: DiedInHouse.com claims to have processed  thousands of requests since launching on June 1. Many of the submissions are  from either Texas or California

Some realtors are actively against  DiedInHouse.com because it costs them money on what is known as 'stigmatized'  properties.

However Condrey maintains he is providing a  legitimate public service.

One case might have been the story of Janet  Milliken, who moved to Pensylvania with her two children from California  following the death of her husband.

She bought a house for $610,000 but would  later find out it was the site of a recent murder-suicide.

Still trying to deal with her own tragedy,  Miliken was faced with also dealing with the people who would come by to gawk at  her new home.

Milliken sued for fraud and  misrepresentation, claiming the owners and real estate agents duped her. 

However the judge ruled against her, saying  Pennsylvania state law does not require agents to disclose such events to  buyers.

She’s since appealed to the state Supreme  Court.

Contentious: Widow Janet Milliken lost out in court in  her attempt to prove she was duped into buying this Pennsylvania house. Mrs  Milliken bought the home after her husband died and was not told it was the site  of a murder-suicide less than two years earlier. While still trying to deal with  her own tragedy she was faced with people coming by the property to  gawk

The  stigma of a death in a home, especially a violent killing, is a powerful one,  especially for families.

'It would bother me if I knew someone died in  my house,' Condrey said.

'For instance, I couldn’t live in a house  where there was a murder-suicide.'

A quiet death, Condrey says, would be easier  for some to deal with

Thousands of requests have been serviced  since the site's launch, Condrey said.

Even realtors are using the site to better  familiarize themselves with a client's property.

'Some people don’t have a problem with  knowing someone died in their home,' says Condrey.

'But when you remind them that this knowledge  could affect their home values, they change their tune.'