Reportedly haunted locations:. The Winchester Mystery House is a mansion in San Jose, California, that was once the personal residence of Sarah Winchester, the widow of firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester.

The Victorian and Gothic-style mansion is renowned for its size and its architectural curiosities.

Much of the lore regarding the Winchester House and its owner is fanciful, unverified, and often provably false.

She married William Wirt Winchester in 1862.

Diagnosed with marasmus, she did not thrive and only lived a month.

She was left with a large inheritance from her husband.

Around this time she began developing rheumatoid arthritis and her doctor suggested that a warmer and drier climate might help improve her health. In 1885, at the age of 46, Winchester moved to California from New Haven, Connecticut.

Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune, her doctor’s recommendation, her happy memories of traveling to San Francisco with her husband in the 1870s, and advertising about the weather and health benefits of California were possible factors in Winchester’s decision to move.

In 1886 Edward “Ned” Rambo, a San Francisco agent for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, took Winchester on a tour of the Santa Clara valley to look for a home. He showed her a forty-five-acre ranch for sale that was located near San Jose.

Since the property reminded her of Llanada Alavesa from the Basque area, she named her new home Llanada Villa.

Merriman became Winchester’s administrative assistant, looking after business correspondence and banking. They attended charitable events together and were paying members of Associated Charities and the Red Cross.

That same year, Winchester purchased several homes and properties in Atherton. One of the homes was offered to Daisy and her new husband to live in, which they accepted.

In 1904, Winchester purchased a large property near the hamlet of Burlingame, north of Coyote Point, then bought a houseboat, or ark as they were called at the time, instead of building a house.

Winchester and her husband had developed an interest in architecture and interior design while building a home on Prospect Hill in New Haven. With plans to expand the farmhouse, Winchester hired at least two architects but dismissed them, deciding to do the planning herself.

She took inspiration for the house from the world’s fairs that were common then. While the home was similar in scope to other homes built then, it was unusual for a woman to look after such a project and, Colin Dickey states in his book Ghostland: an American History in Haunted Places, she could be considered an architectural pioneer of her time.

She was known to rebuild and abandon construction if the progress did not meet her expectations, which resulted in a maze-like design. In the San Jose News of 1897, it was reported that a seven-story tower was torn down and rebuilt sixteen times.

Multiple levels, up to five, were added to different parts of the home. The design was essentially Victorian, with elements of Gothic and Romanesque features.

There was carved wood on the ballroom walls and ceilings. Woods such as teak, maple, and mahogany were used to make an intricate pattern on the ballroom floor.

The second floor had bedrooms that each had adjoining sitting rooms and sewing rooms. The wall coverings had a leather or metal appearance, known as Lincrusta wall coverings.

There were chandeliers from Germany, art glass from Austria, furnishings from Asia, and paintings from France. An annunciator, an early form of intercom, which was a common feature of large homes during this time period, was installed for calling servants.

A generator was installed for a water pump and electricity. Because of Winchester’s height of four feet ten inches and health issues, a stairway that has 44 steps that only rises ten feet was built.

The windows are unusual since they are pastel-colored, asymmetrical in their design, and have sharp bevels. The windows on the upper levels had a spider-web tracery, a popular design then.

It has been claimed by tour guides and articles over the years that the windows were made by Tiffany & Co despite the fact that the company rarely used beveled glass. This style of window is also found at Craigdarroch Castle in British Columbia, Canada, prompting architectural historian Jim Wolf to believe that the windows were made by the same company.

This theory was confirmed when an envelope postmarked July 1894 , which had the seal of Dunsmuir’s company on it and a scribbled note that appears to be in Winchester’s hand, was discovered in the wall of one of the dining rooms that was being restored. Many of the art glass windows that were purchased were never installed and have been housed in a storage room.

Winchester would take breaks from construction on a regular basis to rest, sometimes for months, since she tired easily. It slowed construction considerably and is counter to the claims made in articles and by tour guides that she had the house under construction around the clock for thirty-eight years, until her death in 1922.

At its largest, the house had approximately 500 rooms.

He reached this conclusion after interviewing people who remembered her and after reviewing newspaper and magazine articles.

Though there are rumors that Winchester was trapped in the San Jose home, there is no evidence that she was there. She owned several homes in California and after the earthquake spent most of her time at her home in Atherton.

The seven-story tower and most of the chimneys collapsed. One entire wing was destroyed along with the third and fourth story additions.

It left doors that opened to nothing where balconies had once been, pipes that were protruding from what were once window boxes, and staircases that once led to upper floors ending suddenly.

At this time she dedicated her time to finances and building an investment portfolio. Mary Jo Ignoffo claims that, “She was far more successful constructing an investment portfolio than a mansion.”.

The house became a tourist attraction nine months after Winchester’s death in 1922. The house was in disrepair and considered to be of no monetary value.

They later purchased the house in 1931. There were many room additions and deletions made to the home after Winchester’s death.

The first tour guide of the house was Mayme Brown. Past neighbors, friends, and workers for Winchester were distressed when they read about superstitious claims being made about the house and Winchester, and were upset the Browns were making money off of falsehoods.

In 1924 Harry Houdini briefly visited the house and was reportedly impressed by its unusual layout and architectural novelties, but could not make a detailed investigation because of more pressing engagements. According to some accounts, Ho.

Learn about the bad luck plants in Feng Shui that can bring negative energy and misfortune into your home, killing the good vibes. Plants have plenty of advantages at home – from making the interiors look beautiful to creating an environment that promotes positivity, good health and luck.

However, you must not forget that there are plants that can kill the positive energy in the atmosphere and adversely affect your life. These plants are extremely beautiful to look at but are not suitable to grow at home, as per Feng Shui.

Feng Shui helps create a home filled with fortune and prosperity while encouraging you to remove things from your abode that bring down the energy. Likewise, Feng Shui experts suggest avoiding and eliminating plants with low vibrations that could be dangerous to your life.

Read on to find out about the bad luck plants in Feng Shui. So ensure that you avoid these in your home in 2023.

Bonsai or bon-sai is a Japanese word. It is the Japanese art of growing miniature trees in containers.

Therefore, plants with red flowers and bonsai trees are considered bad luck plants in Feng Shui. These species represent stunted career growth that can bring negative energy and ruin your smooth life pattern.

However, you can keep them outdoors – in an open space or a garden.

According to Feng Shui, the tamarind and myrtle plants are believed to bring home negative energies and illness to the family members. Tamarind is called Imli in Hindi, and Myrtle is called Mehnadi.

thus, it is suggested to avoid placing them inside the home. Also, you should not build your house around such trees.

Like other plants, cotton plants are eternal by nature. The bolls on the plant are sharp and, thus, are believed to shred your skin.

Therefore, they are considered unlucky in Feng Shui. Cotton plants are also believed to have negative energy, making them a bad luck plant to place inside homes.

Gum Arabic tree is beautiful to look at but not recommended to keep inside homes. Also known as babul tree, Egyptian acacia or thorn mimosa, Gum Arabic tree has beautiful yellow blossoms and is known as a healing plant because of its medicinal properties.

Feng Shui experts suggest avoiding keeping the Babul tree at home.

With a botanical name, “Ficus Benjamina”, Weeping Fig is attractive in appearance and comes in various styles. The plant features gorgeous white blooms, slender branches and dense, glossy dark leaves.

Crown of Thorns is a beautiful succulent plant appealing with its amazingly showy bracts. Crown of Thorns, or Euphorbia Milii (botanical name) is a sprawling evergreen shrub featuring succulent branches with sharp, long black thorns.

The plant is spiky, full of thorns and poisonous, and is, thus, believed to invite negative energy.

The reason for planting is to add freshness, peace and happiness to the space. And the dead and dried plants reveal harshness and cause conflict among family members.

Also, they do not go well with your beautiful interiors. Artificial succulents look appealing but bring home bad energy.

These plants do not play a major role in strengthening the natural balance in the atmosphere as real plants do. They might not always be bad luck plants in Feng Shui but can get dirty and, thus, hold stagnant Chi energy.

And do not forget to replace them with new ones once they start fading or do not seem to be in good condition.

As per feng shui rules, thorny plants are believed to attract negative energy. Also, such plants can bring in friction in relationships and increase stress and anxiety in life.

Never keep cactus plants inside your house. Learn below some easy, important Feng Shui tips to bring home good luck and fortune:

Clean the house’s front door regularly to generate the power of Feng Shui and welcome home good energy. Add citrine crystals in gold tones to your home decor.

Place a mirror facing the front door since it will reflect the positive energy and resist the negative energy flow. Get the maintenance works done soon since broken doors, windows, or stairways would restrict the positive energy flow.

This was our list of various bad luck plants in Feng Shui, and you should keep them away from your home. In addition, if you are planning to gift someone plants, remember to steer clear of the plants discussed above and pick good luck plants for them.

Snake Plant Types and Benefits. Vastu Tips for Tulsi Plant at Home.

Vastu Tips to Place Money Plant In Bedroom. Indoor Water Plants for Home.

Money Plant In Bedroom. Cactus Plant for Home Decoration.

Updated July 2023. It can be a shocking and stressful experience for any landlord when one of their tenants dies, not to mention a situation that isn’t simple to resolve.

As a landlord, your main goal will be to reclaim your rental property and minimize loss of income. At the same time, you’ll also be supporting the deceased tenant’s family in reclaiming their loved one’s possessions and meeting their obligations to you.

The most complex situations are those involving a tenant who lived alone or was the sole tenant named on the lease. Their estate is responsible for settling their lease with you, and you’re responsible for protecting the tenant’s rights — for example, ensuring the security of their personal belongings.

Find all the information you need in our landlord guide below. While it is unpleasant to think about, it’s important to know exactly what to do when a tenant dies in your rental property, both to secure your property and to deal with the situation legally and with dignity and respect.

What if a tenant who is the sole occupant of one of your properties dies. What are your responsibilities as a landlord, and what are your rights in terms of retaking possession of your property and moving forward.

When a tenant dies, their lease agreement continues to hold force, and responsibility for fulfilling that agreement passes to their estate, which is usually managed by an executor. You will need to close the lease with the deceased’s estate in the way specified in the contract.

This means you cannot remove any personal belongings from the property without the cooperation of the estate. It’s clear that resolving a tenancy for someone who has died can be complex, and it’s important to pay close attention to the law throughout the process.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of discovering that your tenant has passed away, contact 911 or the appropriate authorities immediately. They will handle the scene as needed, and you should wait to take any further action until authorities permit you to do so.

These types of notifications can be sensitive and you do not want to place yourself in the middle of the situation. Regardless of whether or not you know about your tenant passing away, you must wait until you receive written notice of their passing.

Acquire a written notice of the tenant’s death, either from the next of kin or the executor of the tenant’s estate. If they do not have an executor, contact local authorities to obtain copies of the relevant documentation.

Check that all the doors and windows are locked. In most states, this can be done as soon as you know about the tenant’s death, even if you haven’t yet received official notice.

The goal of securing the property is to ensure that no one can enter the property without your knowledge, even if they’re related to the deceased tenant. The tenant’s belongings need to be properly administered according to their estate, so you should help secure the property and allow this to occur.

Securing the property also prevents others from taking up residence there, perhaps as a “successor” to the deceased tenant, leaving you with a tenant without a legal lease. If you’re working with a property management company, make sure to talk with them about how to proceed and who will be handling the property in this interim period.

Remember that when securing the property, you do not have the right to remove anything that belonged to the deceased tenant. The only things that you should consider removing are items such as spoiled food or other things that pose a risk to the integrity of the property.

Keep thorough records of everything you do to demonstrate that you acted within the letter of the law. Another important step is to open the lines of communication with the deceased tenant’s executor.

After all, a lease agreement does not terminate automatically upon a tenant’s death, so you don’t have a legal right to repossess the property or remove the tenant’s possessions without going through the proper steps. The executor will be a big part of making sure that you can smoothly retake control of your rental property, so you want to be sure to establish a strong relationship from the beginning.

It’s part of their responsibility as an estate executor. In some cases, an estate will not yet have an executor, so you will need to work with an assigned individual or a probate court to deal with your lease and rental-related issues.

Remember that the family members, possibly including the estate executor, are grieving the loss of a beloved family member and friend. While you might be focused on regaining control of the property as quickly as possible, their priorities will not align with yours.

The original lease agreement stands until you and the executor can close it out, so you need to continue as if the tenant were still occupying the property.

Does the lease agreement expire automatically because the individual passed away, or is there something else that needs to be done to transition the property’s legal use back to you, the owner.

This means that what happens next depends on whether the tenant was in a month-to-month or longer-term agreement. In terms of a month-to-month lease agreement, in most cases the official written notice of the tenant’s death acts as a 30-day notice and signals the end of the lease.

This means that the estate is responsible for paying all rent owed to the landlord for 30 days after the written notice is delivered. Coordinate with the executor about removing possessions and cleaning out the rental property by the appropriate deadline.

In most cases, landlords will agree to an extension to make the process easier for everyone involved. If the tenant had a long-term lease, the deceased tenant’s estate is legally responsible for rental payments until the lease expires.

Pushing for full payment of the lease, even when the property has been liberated, is often seen as taking advantage of the situation and may reflect poorly on you in the case of any related legal dispute down the line. The best scenario is to work with the executor as though you’re dealing with a broken lease agreement, and ask the estate to pay rent only until the property is re-rented and a new tenant has taken over the lease.

What you decide to do is up to you, and you should make sure to balance what is best for your business with what you feel is the morally right thing to do. Landlords can learn a lot about how to handle these situations from landlords who have already dealt with a tenant’s death.

In the video below, watch Eric Worral and Steve White of RentPrep discuss this topic with Esther Sirotnik of Avvo.

One aspect of dealing with the aftermath of a tenant passing away that can be particularly awkward for landlords is managing who can and cannot enter the property. After you secure the property, it’s possible that friends and family may want to enter the rental unit.