In 2014, Derek and Maria Broaddus bought what they thought would be their forever home: a beautiful six-bedroom Dutch Colonial-style house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey. The historic home, built in 1905 and just blocks from Maria’s childhood home, cost them about $1.4 million. It was the kind of house people dream about. But instead of a fresh start, the Broaddus family walked into something much darker—something they never expected.
A Letter That Changed Everything
According to Capital, just days after closing on the house, a letter appeared in their mailbox. It wasn’t a welcome card from a neighbor or a flyer. It was signed by someone who called themselves “The Watcher.” The first letter started politely but quickly turned eerie. It read:
“Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood… 657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming.”
The writer claimed that their grandfather had watched the house in the 1920s, and their father in the 1960s. Now, it was their turn. The letter continued with disturbing questions:
“Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out.”
This wasn’t just a one-time thing. More letters followed. They became more aggressive and personal. One of them, as reported by NBC4 Washington, even asked, “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested?” Another questioned, “Have they found what is in the walls yet?”
Living in Fear
The Broaddus family never moved into the home. They were terrified. Even though the neighborhood was known for being quiet and safe—and was just 45 minutes from New York City—the letters created a constant sense of fear.
They tried to rent the house, but news about The Watcher scared people away. Selling it wasn’t easy either. As time went on, the story started spreading. It became known all over the country as one of the most unsettling real estate horror stories in recent history.
Trying to Find the Truth
The family contacted the Westfield police right after the first letter arrived. A full investigation was launched. Officers interviewed neighbors, searched for clues, and later, even tried to collect DNA samples.
As reported by Daily Express, in December 2018, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office took over the case. They found female DNA on one of the envelopes and started comparing samples from neighbors. But not everyone agreed to be tested. Some people weren’t home. Others simply refused. The investigation led nowhere.
At one point, the Broadduses also sent anonymous letters of their own—signed “Friends of the Broaddus Family”—to neighbors who had criticized them online. They later admitted to it, which only made the case more complicated.
The Broaddus family also filed a lawsuit against the home’s previous owners, John and Andrea Woods. According to the Broadduses, the Woods family failed to tell them about a letter they had received from The Watcher shortly before the sale.
The court case didn’t go in the Broadduses’ favor. In 2017, Judge Camille M. Kenny dismissed most of their claims. According to WPTV, the judge said there wasn’t enough proof that the Woods family had done anything wrong.
The House at 657 Boulevard
Despite everything, the house at 657 Boulevard still stands. It’s still the same grand home it’s always been—beautiful on the outside, but known for the dark story behind it. Over time, new people have moved in. The home is once again occupied.
According to The Independent, the Woods family had lived there for 23 years without any major problems. They admitted to receiving one letter from The Watcher but thought it was just a prank.
Efforts to tear down or remodel the house have been blocked by the town’s planning board. The Broadduses had once hoped to sell the land to developers, but those plans never went through.
Westfield’s mayor, Andy Skibitsky, addressed public concern, saying the police “conducted an exhaustive investigation based on the factual circumstances and evidence available.” While he admitted the case was unusual, he assured residents that their community was safe.
A Look Inside the Letters
The most unsettling part of this case is the content of the letters. One of them read:
“I pass by many times a day. 657 Boulevard is my job, my life, my obsession. And now you are too … Welcome to the product of your greed! Greed is what brought the past three families to 657 Boulevard and now it has brought you to me.”
Another, quoted by Today, said:
“The house is crying from all of the pain it is going through. You have changed it and made it so fancy. You are stealing it’s (sic) history. It cries for the past and what used to be in the time when I roamed it’s (sic) halls.”
“The final letter arrived in 2017. “Loved ones suddenly die. You are despised by the house. And The Watcher won,” it read.
The writer sounded obsessed with the house’s past and seemed to hate the changes the Broadduses were making. The tone was always strange—sometimes poetic, sometimes angry, and always disturbing.
A Story That Captured the Nation
The Broaddus family’s experience became so widely known that it was turned into a Netflix series in 2022. Media outlets across the U.S. covered the story, describing it as creepy, bizarre, and deeply upsetting.
Derek Broaddus told reporters the whole situation felt like a “real-life horror movie.” The letters didn’t just scare them—they made them feel unsafe in a place that was supposed to be their sanctuary.
Even though no one ever discovered who The Watcher was, the shadow they cast over the Broaddus family never lifted. What began as a hopeful move into their dream home turned into a chilling chapter they couldn’t escape.
