The Watcher House Sold For $400K Less Than What The Broaddus Family Paid For It
Netflix's new series, "The Watcher," tells the story of Dean and Nora Brannock (played by Bobby Canavale and Naomi Watts, respectively) as they purchase a new home only to be terrorized by The Watcher, an unknown individual who sends the couple a series of letters letting them know that they were being constantly observed (via Tudum). The series is based on the true story of the Broadduses and their experience with The Watcher.
Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased a six-bedroom home at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014 for $1.35 million. The couple decided to renovate the interior of the home before they move in with their three young children. According to The Cut, Derek found the first letter from The Watcher in the mailbox just days after they started working on the home. The content was disturbing enough for the Broadduses to involve law enforcement and find out who wrote it. To this day, however, the writer's identity remains unknown.
The house wasn't sold for a few years
Derek and Maria Broaddus received a few more letters from The Watcher, and each time, it became more threatening. As reported by The Tab, the sender knew the names of the Broaddus children, what they were renovating inside the house, and other personal details. The sender went so far as to threaten the family with a car accident, a fire, or an illness. Derek and Maria decided that all the stress, not to mention the possibility of danger, wasn't worth it. They didn't want to risk their children's safety, and they eventually decided to sell the house.
According to The Cut, the couple initially listed the home just six months after their purchase. They considered the money they used for renovations and wanted to sell it for a higher price than what they paid. They wanted full disclosure, so they also showed potential buyers the letters they received from The Watcher. However, no one pushed forward with the purchase, even after the Broadduses lowered the listing price.
The house was sold in 2019
The story of The Watcher house made it to the local news. The Broadduses were approached by media outlets to share their experience, but they refused, as they didn't want more attention drawn to them (via The Cut). Derek and Maria listed the house again in 2016 and 2017, but still, there were no takers. The couple rented out the property, and the tenants also received a letter from The Watcher.
Five years after their purchase, Derek and Maria were finally able to sell the house. As reported by Today, they took a massive loss and sold it for $959,000, about $400,000 less than what they purchased the house for, not to mention the amount they spent on renovations. The new homeowners, Andrew and Allison Carr, didn't have any comments to say about their purchase, but reports indicate that they have not received any letters from The Watcher thus far.