Four months ago, 21 Howard Place was the scene of a terrible crime: "the owners, Margaret and Raymond Devaney," explains the New York Times, "were stabbed there by their troubled 31-year-old son, Ryan, who then tried to kill himself by jumping in front of a G train. Both he and his father survived, but his mother did not." The house is now on the market, and people like Dr. David Coun, the Devaneys’ next-door neighbor, are worried about the reaction of potential buyers.
On a block where the housing stock does not have much turnover--this is fourth house to come up for sale in the last five years--the house has not garnered much attention. Corcoran Group listed the house for $1.49 million on February 9, then dropped the price to $1.39 million on March 9, and again to $1.29 million on March 23.
Still, some Howard Place residents, especially its younger ones, are hopeful about who their new neighbors may be. Dr. Coun said that when his 6-year-old son asks what happened to the Devaneys, he tells him “there was an accident and that Peggy died and Ray doesn’t live there anymore.” But there could be new friends for him in the future.
“We hope a new family will move in,” Dr. Coun said. “We are looking forward to a happy end.”
City Room also gives their take and asks commenters for their opinions, and it seems the majority would not buy a house where someone had been killed. Hopefully someone who can look past it will come through soon, and help give the place some new, happier memories.
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