May 27, 2004
Yates house sold

The house in Clear Lake where Andrea Yates lived has been sold.


After being on the market for almost six months, the house where Andrea Yates drowned her five children in a bathtub has been sold.

Real estate agent Mike Canary said today that the home in the 900 block of Beachcomber in the Clear Lake area was sold last week. Details about the sale price and buyer were not disclosed.

The 1,620-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home in the Camino South subdivision was listed for $109,900.


A good friend of mine who lives in the Oak Park suburb of Chicago told me once about the long and frustrating search for an affordable house in that neighborhood that he and his wife undertook. One day, he came upon a place that was not only suitable for them, but within their price range. It had recently come on the market and needed some work, but was basically in good shape. While looking at the place with the realtor, though, he noticed that there was something about it that she was reluctant to tell him. Eventually, he got the truth from her: The house had been the scene of a gruesome murder not that long before, in which a man brutally killed his wife.

My friend, being of a practical nature, was actually relieved to hear this - he had feared there was a major structural flaw with the house or something like that, for why else the low price? His wife agreed with him, and they made an offer which was ultimately rejected, as another couple was even more eager to get the house. They eventually found another place and are happy there.

Knowing nothing about that crime, I had no problems seeing things my friend's way. Knowing what I do about the Yates house, I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy it, even if it were the perfect house for me in other respects. I'm not a superstitious person, but as far as I'm concerned that place has ghosts in it. I wish the new owners well, and hope they won't have the same willies about it that I do.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 27, 2004 to Crime and Punishment | TrackBack
Comments

I just don't know if I could live in a house like that. I don't especially believe in ghosts, but it would just feel weird to live in a house where five children died like that. I'd have to convince myself that if the ghosts of the kids were still there, they'd probably not be malevolent toward me. We don't have kids, but I'm sure if we did and lived in that house, I'd be spooked about punishing them at all.

There's a house in our neighborhood that's referred to as "the drug dealer house" because that's what the former owners did there. I think that would worry me more as a buyer, because there'd be that lingering worry in my mind that somebody would think it was still owned by those people and come by seeking things I didn't have and causing trouble.

Posted by: Sue on May 28, 2004 8:39 AM

I'm going to reveal a little bit here, but the house where I grew up is about 3 blocks from the Yates homestead. The houses were built in the late 60s/early 70s and are generally pretty nice (no flooding like some of the newer subdivisions in and around Clear Lake, nice trees).

And regardless of the past creepiness, $110K is a hella-good price. I think you can buy a refrigerator box in Central Austin for that much.

Posted by: norbizness on May 28, 2004 10:15 AM

"And regardless of the past creepiness, $110K is a hella-good price. I think you can buy a refrigerator box in Central Austin for that much."

In NYC, a house for $110K would be on fire.

Posted by: William Hughes on May 28, 2004 12:13 PM

with all that money you saved you should atleast buy a new bathtub

Posted by: nikki on August 23, 2006 10:50 AM