Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Minnesota

I purchased a foreclosure home "as is" 3/25/11 - bank owned. After owming the home several months we found out that there was a murder inside the home - I have the police report. We were not informed of this and feel that this will probably decrease the value of this home when and if we wish to sell and also the young children that live there are curious and scared of what they were told happened from the neighbor children. Do we have any recourse to a pricing consideration on this home? We feel that the real estate agent should have informed us of this event rather than us finding it out from the neighbors later and checking out the story online. Our offer or maybe we would have not even offered would have certainly been different.

Thanks you.


Asked on 1/01/12, 7:45 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Daniel Reiff Reiff Law Office

You may have a claim. Minnesota law requires agents to disclose information they know that would significantly and adversely affect the ordinary use and enjoyment of a home. The statute specifically exempts suicides, accidental deaths, deaths from natural causes, and paranormal activity. The statute is usually applied to construction defect claims or some physical intrusion (e.g. water), but, based on the fact that deaths other than murder are specifically exempted, this tells me that you may well have a claim. That said, there isn't a lot of law out there about it.

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Answered on 1/01/12, 9:39 pm


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