Haunted House
Hey, guys!
Working on a novel about a haunted house, and had a few questions.
Situation: House was built in 1860s San Fernando valley. Horrible Thing happened in 1935 or thereabouts. Heroine acquires house in 2005 or so.
Questions:
1) How long could the house be expected to stand empty before someone had it demolished? Would any sort of public-health or community standards ordnance commonly come into play?
2) Can anyone recommend books on local myths and legends of the area, particularly from the Spanish colonists or Native Americans?
3) Any good books out there on the house-renovation process?
Thanks!
ETA: Due to helpful comments below (thanks, guys!) I've moved the house's building date to sometime in the late 1920s, and the Thing of Suck to around 1950.
I'm thinking that I'll have occupancies of a year or two, with three to eight years in between, before Heroine comes in. Would that work with building stuff?
Working on a novel about a haunted house, and had a few questions.
Situation: House was built in 1860s San Fernando valley. Horrible Thing happened in 1935 or thereabouts. Heroine acquires house in 2005 or so.
Questions:
1) How long could the house be expected to stand empty before someone had it demolished? Would any sort of public-health or community standards ordnance commonly come into play?
2) Can anyone recommend books on local myths and legends of the area, particularly from the Spanish colonists or Native Americans?
3) Any good books out there on the house-renovation process?
Thanks!
ETA: Due to helpful comments below (thanks, guys!) I've moved the house's building date to sometime in the late 1920s, and the Thing of Suck to around 1950.
I'm thinking that I'll have occupancies of a year or two, with three to eight years in between, before Heroine comes in. Would that work with building stuff?