I have looked at the offenders list for my neighborhood and decided not to look again...they are everywhere.  

I once had a potential tenant not want to rent a home because across the street because there was a "sex offender" renting the million dollar home guest house.  As the story went, it happened 30 years ago when he was 17 and his girfriend was 16.  

Not everything is as it seems and there is no guarantee that when you buy on the perfect block a perp will not move in next door.

Eve

Yes, it has happened with clients who had 4 very young children with the offender having been a producer of child pornography living right next door.  They moved on to the next property. 

It has not happened to me and I would not stop showing homes there. I have lived in my very "desirable" neighborhood for 4 safe years. I looked at that list and it says there are 2 registered sex offenders within a certain radius. The children still play outside, I have never heard of a problem. It does not concern me. We also have foreigners, black people, gay people white people, there is always a potential reason for a buyer to not want to live by "somebody" but that's the way it goes.

This has not happened to me after a contract was written. But I have had clients who were intereted initially in a home who checked the lists and said "thanks, but no thanks."

Yes I have had it happen. I would still show because there are various degrees of offending behavior that get someone on Megan's list - as Mike & Eve Alexander noted.   I would certainly disclose e need to check the list and let he buyer make up his or her mind 

IMHO, once you have a sexual predator that has been convicted they should always and I do mean always be locked up for life, no option

Fred, it hasn't happened to me.  I've looked at the database before and they don't differentiate between types offenses.  Rape is listed the same as a serial streaker.  That is my biggest problem.

Was it Donald Trump and it was on the same street as Megyn Kelly?

As others have said in their comments the buyer should check the list before viewing properties.  The list is not always up to date and the many times the data is 30+ years old with 18 year boy & his 17 year old girl friend ....

Let the buyer make their own conclusion.

Yes , it will surprise people when they see how many exist !

Have not personally encountered this situation yet. 

Fred - I have never had this happen to me, and hopefully never will.

There could already be a sex offender living near you now, as they can be anywhere. Same with looking at crime stats. Most home owners would be shocked at how much activity is happening all around them.

In my area, I say good luck finding a home where there isn't a registered sex offender near by.  It's crazy! They could buy and two weeks later an offender moves in.

Yes it's happened and no I would not. Any home they buy could have one next door who's NOT on the list.  Which is worse?  I believe in being aware, but it would not stop me from buying a home.

Fred Hafdelin I have never come across this situation. In my State, it is the buyer's responsibility to do their due diligence. All we can do is provide the address for the site.

Yes It has but I would not stop showing homes, but I would inform a buyer if such.

Yes, though I think they need to do a little more research as there are some really lame reasons that some folks are on this list.

I helped my sister buy a house once that had a registered sex ofender on the same block. This did not desuade her, because she was moving to a relatively small town from Washington, DC. She also said that she did not intend to leave her children play outside unattended.

That was a relief for me. She never had a problem.

How can one person affect another to this degree? How about the offender sweats it out instead? That makes more sense

Odds are that person does not live there anymore. That list is very outdated and innacurate.

yes, we encourage people to check during due dilligence, but if its a major concern we look before we write.

Oh Lordy. Not my demographic as a rule, but if I had a client with little ones, I would DEFINITELY have them research the registry PRIOR to considering an area. Which may make them run screaming from the state! Mike & Eve Alexander Eve nailed it though - so many in the registry had a GF just on the south side of the wrong age--and a daddy with a shotgun.

Buyers are provided with an AAR Buyer Advisory, which tells them how to check on this and much more...

I have had a couple of buyers who would not even look in area because of it, but no offers that were pulled

Did not have an offer withdrawn. HOWEVER.....

the community is situated deep within a master community required THREE separate security gates to get to the right street. On the street is an active criminal court judge which means on a dally basis the Sheriff department sends a cruiser. He gets out and WALKS the street and back yards to ensure all is right with the world. And three doors down, lives an offender.

The scoundrel actually rides up to me, on the driveway of the recently sold house, to ask if the new buyer has kids.  I was so very close to committing a felony.

It has not happen to me but I don't blame the guy.  

No. I would not stop showing homes in the area. 

I have never had a buyer withdraw for that reason.  I would not stop showing in that area as there could be couples without children who could care less.

He should have done that research before submitting offer, and also, he needs to do more thorough research. Many times the database doesn't tell the whole story and people are put on the list for lame reasons at suggestion of their attorney. For example- in divorce cases/ custody battles, one spouse will coach their kid to say " so and so touched me here" etc. In VA, they just added 5000 offenders to the list. These were " offenses" that occurred over 30 years ago. I've never had any deal fall apart due to a sex offender in the area. No I wouldn't stop showing homes in areas where offenders live, and I would list a house even if the owner was on the list. The list just indicates that someone might want to do a more in depth investigation.

That is a first, wow!

I would wonder if you could legally stop showing homes in the area, wouldn't that be some kind of steering?! Not sure about that, not enough coffee yet to think that straight. 

The list is available for the public to view. I do not offer specific information,  but will be the source of the source if asked!

I would mention it to buyers and let them decide.

I don't check the list so it would be a surprise.

Yes, Had the exact same thing happen, we were an initial away from ratification and the Buyer's son checked the sex offender web site in the MAR contract and found the neighbor was in jail , soon to be released. Needless to say that deal did not happen. To answer your question I would still show & sell homes in that area.

The list has become meaningless as DA's have abused it by prosecuting everything possible as a sex crime to the point that it is impossible to determine who is dangerous.

I had some buyers a few years ago found a pedophile living down the street, but they did move forward with the contract. 

Our standard form of contract encourages buyers to do this due diligence. It is not for us as agents to advise on this point -- very much a matter for the buyer to investigate and process.  Hold on to that buyer and find him/her/them a home!!

This happened to me last summer. I was working with the buyers and they were very upset. 

This is difficult to get away from and there are cases where someone has had to register where maybe there won't be a problem.

I knew a guy that was falsely accused by his soon to be ex wife. I also know of a kid that got in trouble when he broke up with his younger girlfriend. Parents knew the situation, and were consenting. Now he has to carry that with him the rest of his life. 

If you based that as a reason to stop showing homes, I think you would be out of business. They are everywhere. (is it PC to say "they"?). Maybe don't show these people with young kids a house on the same block. Maybe closer to schools. It also leads into another question. What if the offender was a buyer? They can not buy homes in certain areas, such as schools, day-care centers, maybe parks, (I don't know). Do agents ever check your buyers?