It is an uncomfortable question. It is also a real one.

Recent headlines have reopened a conversation the real estate industry tends to avoid.
Not the crime itself, but what happens to a property after the story fades.

The house does not change. The story does.

Which raises the question buyers rarely ask out loud but almost always think privately:
would you buy a home in Simcoe County knowing a crime or serious incident had occurred there?

This is not just a big city issue

There is a quiet myth that things like this only happen elsewhere. Bigger cities. Far away places. Other people.
That is not true.

Simcoe County is not immune. No community is.

Crimes, tragedies, deaths, domestic situations, and investigations occur everywhere, including smaller towns and
close-knit neighbourhoods. The difference is scale and visibility, not occurrence.

Most properties never make the news. Some do. And once a story attaches itself to an address, it becomes part of
that home’s invisible history.

Here’s the part buyers need to understand

In Ontario, events that feel emotionally significant to buyers are not always treated as a physical defect of the
property. That means disclosure can become complicated fast, especially when there is no obvious material impact on
the structure itself.

Translation: you cannot assume you will automatically be told everything you would personally want to know.
You have to choose to ask, and you have to work with someone who will take that seriously.

Practical due diligence tips

• Google the address (and variations of it): include the street name, postal code, and neighbourhood.
• Search local news sources with the street name and nearby intersections.
• Ask direct questions before you fall in love with the place: “Is there anything in the home’s history that could affect a buyer’s decision?”
• Talk to neighbours if you can, casually and respectfully. Neighbourhoods have long memories, and people talk.
• Drive the area at different times (daytime, evening, weekends). Context matters.
• Separate structure from stigma: an inspection checks the house. It does not check the story.

A local example, and why local representation matters

I have seen this play out in Barrie.
In one situation, local agents knew there had been a serious incident connected to a property.
Multiple local agents made calls and tried, in good faith, to get clarity for their buyers. We were ignored.

Only later did we learn why: the sellers and the listing agent (who was out of area) had signed a non-disclosure
agreement and the sellers had provided written direction that the listing agent was not permitted to disclose.

That is exactly why using someone local matters.
Local agents tend to know the neighbourhood context, understand how information moves in smaller communities, and can
press for answers in a way that is practical, persistent, and grounded in how things actually work here.

My stance

Personally, I would rather disclose what can be disclosed, up front, so buyers can make an informed decision without
feeling blindsided later.

There is nothing worse than moving in and finding out after the fact. Neighbours talk. It comes out. It always does.

So, would you?

Would you buy a home in Simcoe County knowing a crime or serious incident had occurred there?

Some people can separate place from past. Others cannot sleep at night trying. Both positions are valid.
What matters is knowing where you stand before you sign.

Real estate is not just square footage and finishes. It is how a space makes you feel, how it holds memory, and how
future buyers might respond when it becomes your turn to sell.

This conversation is not meant to alarm. It is meant to ground. Because informed buyers make better decisions.
And silence has never served anyone in real estate.