Reverse mortgage is not really that complicated. You die. Either the house is worth more than the mortgage or its not. If the latter - give the bank the deed and say ciao. If the former you can either sell it and pay off the mortgage, remortgage or if you're flush pay off the mortgage.
Our neighbor who had a reverse mortgage on his house passed away...people would ask about it and all we knew was "the bank owned it". After FIVE YEARS the house sold. This week my wife met one of the ex neighbors daughters in Lowes and found out the reason. The clown had left to will ! It took 5 years to figure out what the bank owned and what was due his two daughters. Moral, make out a will or do not purchase a house that the bank did no more than cut the grass on.
re: The ghost house next door !
Reverse mortgage is not really that complicated. You die. Either the house is worth more than the mortgage or its not. If the latter - give the bank the deed and say ciao. If the former you can either sell it and pay off the mortgage, remortgage or if you're flush pay off the mortgage.