Owners of JonBenet Ramsey murder home fail to find buyer

By 
 March 24, 2024

The sale of the notorious Colorado Tudor, where the tragic case of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey unfolded, has proven to be an arduous task, facing repeated setbacks in finding a suitable buyer.

Located in Boulder, Colorado, this gated property boasts five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, but its market journey has been fraught with challenges.

The home's financial situation

Despite its enticing features, including a top-floor penthouse with dual bathrooms and a kitchen equipped with a separate catering area, the residence was recently withdrawn from the market for the sixth time, as reported by the New York Post.

Initially listed at $7.25 million in November 2022, the 7,240-square-foot home, erected in 1927, saw its price gradually reduced to $6,249,000 before being taken off the market.

Potential buyers appear dissuaded by the haunting legacy surrounding the property—the site where JonBenét Ramsey's lifeless body was discovered in the wine cellar near the basement on December 26, 1996.

The murder's impact

Orell Anderson, a specialist in forensics real estate appraisal, emphasized the profound impact of such tragedies on property values, particularly those involving children.

Despite the Ramseys selling the property to an investor for $650,000 after purchasing it for $500,000 in 1991, the shadow of the past still looms large, with proceeds from the sale pledged to the JonBenét Ramsey Children’s Foundation.

The stigma attached to properties with traumatic histories often leads to discounted sale prices ranging from 10% to 25%, or even more, according to Anderson.

This enduring impact is evident not only in the case of the Colorado Tudor but also in recent sales of other homes associated with infamous crimes, such as the Beverly Hills mansion where the Menéndez brothers perpetrated the murders of their parents.

The current owners

For the current owners, Tim and Carol Schuller Milner, attempts to sell the property have spanned over 15 years, marked by multiple price reductions and endeavors to mitigate its tarnished reputation.

Despite their efforts to undo the home's stigma, including significant price cuts and alterations to its appearance, finding a willing buyer remains an ongoing challenge.

The struggle to offload the property reflects a broader phenomenon wherein homes with traumatic histories, especially those involving children, face significant hurdles in the real estate market. Potential buyers are often deterred by the unsettling associations, even with thorough cleaning and renovations.

In conclusion, the saga of the Colorado Tudor serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of tragedy on real estate transactions and the challenges faced by sellers seeking to disassociate their properties from their dark pasts.

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