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Registered child sexual offender lives next door
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Anonymous
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I live in Virginia and have just discovered we live next door to someone on the sexual offender registry. He pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and went to jail last year. He’s out now and rents the house next door from a relative. Our long-term plan was to move in 4-5 years but we have two young daughters so after this news we have decided to put our house on the market this year rather than wait.
I’m now struggling with how I’m going to sleep at night if we sell to a family with children. Legally we or our realtor don’t have to disclose this information. I know there is an element of buyer beware and yes there are unprosecuted sexual predators everywhere, but it makes me sick to think I know this info but I’m not disclosing it so I can sell my house. Odds are many prospective buyers will find out on their own and not even place an offer but what about the family that doesn’t happen to check? Any advice or thoughts? What would you do? |
Anonymous
| Oh OP, that is scary. Perhaps someone w/out kids will want to buy and you won't have to worry. I am thinkging most people check registries. Good luck though. That is a tough one. |
Anonymous
| That is truly horrifying. However, I wouldn't move; I would just keep a close eye on my kids, especially if he's only renting and may move himself. |
Anonymous
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Oh dear. What a dilemma and awful that you feel you have to be forced out of your own home because of him. Are your daughters of the age where they would ever be out playing unsupervised or in any type of situation where he might get to them without you knowing? If not - since he is renting, maybe there's a chance he won't stay long? Do you know the owners of the home? Is there a chance you could express your concerns to get an idea of how long he intends on staying?
If you do decide to move forward with selling (and I don't blame you), then I would have the exact concerns that you do. First, I guess instead of panicking about it now, perhaps you should cross that bridge when you come to it. There are plenty of chances that someone w/o children will be interested in your home (even a couple who is buying a home with the thought of having children in the future, which is who bought our house when we sold in VA). And if a family does end up making an offer, then as long as you are not legally required, I hate to say this but I guess if it were me in your situation I would probably leave it up to them to do their own research instead of telling them up front that this person lives next door. Unless of course you can afford to wait to sell your house to someone else who comes along who is in a "better" situation. And maybe if you have a fabulous, very "sellable" house, that's what you can do. |
Anonymous
| Any chance that you could move and rent the house that you are in now? And then rent it to people without children, maybe a bunch of college guys? |
Anonymous
| This is an interesting topic that I suspect is a plant / fake |
Anonymous
| OP here - not a fake at all. Believe me, I wish it were. I am SICK over this. |
Anonymous
| OP, how did you discover that he's on the sex registry? Were you and your neighbors sent some form of notification from your state's authorities? I would probably move, too. These vermin are quietly everywhere. |
Anonymous
| To be honest, if he doesn't own the house and is only renting, I'm not sure if I would disclose anything - he could move tomorrow. |
Anonymous
| OP, I am so sorry. What a terrible situation to be in. |
Anonymous
Preferably, college guys with baseball bats. |
Anonymous
| For now, at least, I would invest in some type of security system, whether it's locks, alarm or a dog. And I would tell any neighbors that have kids. |
Anonymous
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How do you know? Shouldn't you be sharing how you know? Don't people on this board have kids? How do people verify this to stay safe? My neighbor acts like she should be committed, should I just go around telling people that? Please share how to verify such information, and please also share how you know there is legally nothing you are obligated to do. I thought you had to disclose information about the property if you know about it? That is why people think it is a fake post. |
Anonymous
Not the OP, but I check this website regularly as do many others... http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/policy.html?original_requestUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov%3A80%2Fsor%2FzipSearch.html&original_request_method=GET&original_request_parameters= |
Anonymous