I just got a client for life. I told a mother at pre-school that there was a convicted child molester living in the neighborhood that she was looking at. Not only did she appreciate the information, but I've earned her trust as the person who is willing to be straight with her and give her all the information on a home: the good, bad, ugly, and deal killing.
In the state of PA, Sellers are not required by the Seller's Disclosure to disclose a known sex offender living in their neighborhood. I always tell my clients to run a potential address through this site:
http://www.familywatchdog.us/Default.asp
It's a great site with a handy map feature that really gives you a feel for the proximity of registered sex offenders.
Here's a good discussion: let's talk about the fact that although Seller's are alerted when a registered sex offender moves into the neighborhood, they are not required to disclose that to a potential Buyer. Now, I understand that a sex offender can be a kiss of death to a sale, but shouldn't public safety take precedence? You have to tell a Buyer that the township is requiring new sidewalks, but not that a child molester lives nearby?
How about in your state?
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I commend any Realtor that would provide that kind of information to a potential purchaser and as you say potentially kill the deal.
Now put yourself in the place of the Seller for a moment and imagine if you were the Vendor of the property. How quick would you be, given that you are not required to disclose, to supply that same information to the potential purchaser and see how fast you kill your own deal.
At what point to you not push the envelop? Does the fact a potential purchaser does not have any children have an impact on how hard you push the watchdog website or do you inquire if they will ever have any children or will any grand children ever visit.
Just wondering if you personally have gone as far as searched all your local neigbourhoods and only list and sell homes in those areas without issue registered on the watchdog site.
Using your advice to clients any community that is unfortunate enough to have a sex offender in the neighbourhood is doomed to destruction.
I never knew there was such a registry open to the public so I did as I do often do when I want to get information I Googled "sex offender registry" which returned the typical over 1,900,000 possible sites.
After reviewing the top search results I thought it ironic that a number of these sites are supported by Google Ad's linking to websites helping prevent viewing of or to clear any tracks of Porn off your computer. I think they are advertising to the wrong crowd unless sex offenders frequent these Sex Registry Sites.
Good Luck with your new "client for life"
If it was my listing? Then I wouldn't be volunteering anything, as I wouldn't be doing my duty to the Seller. My heart goes out to Sellers who have been put in the position of having to sell their home w/ a sex offender in the neighborhood. However, there are many people who get "caught" by something unexpected that has negative consequences on their property value. Their septic system could fail, putting them back $30K. Their home could flood (something that happened in Bucks County) twice in 2 years. They could put a four land highway in their back yard. Is it fair? No. But it happens pretty frequently and Sellers suffer the consequences.
I don't know the answer, as it's much bigger societal issue than I care to tackle. However, I do think there is something intrinsically wrong with the fact that Sellers are officially notified of a registered sex offender (obviously as a safety measure), and aren't required to pass that information on so that the next owner can take measures to keep themselves safe. In this neighborhood, a new owner would probably have 15-20 Moms hustle over to tell them about the registered sex offender - it's a close, active community of small lots. What about a rural community? What about a community where no one bothers with each other? Maybe the state notifies new homeowners after they purchase the home?
As far as searching on watchdog, I never do. I don't want the responsibility, but I do mention it to my clients and direct them to the state site, as well. In this instance, I know that there is a sex offender, I know that it would have a negative impact on my Buyers, so I passed that info along.