My neighbor... the sexual offender

[sirrahbed]

Lots of good advice here. No, I would not say anything to this guy - just be on guard but not paranoid. $20 sounds like a good deal to have the lawn mowed. I am surprised that realtors don't let you know though, I assumed in this current day that they either would or would be *required* to let you know. I personally check http://www.familywatchdog.us/ from time to time for my own area and for the areas where my kids live. We also use concealed carry as was suggested - not for everyone but it is our right and is a good one.

[lvpets2002]

I so aggree with everyone else on not saying anything, but keep your guard up & eyes & ears wide open.. Now if the Realtors did know about him, they would not have to tell you since you dont have any children.. Now if you had children then I would think they by Law would have had to tell you.. Now your not close to a School are you?? If so then this S/O guy must move.. That is the law he cannot live within so many miles near a school.. He also is not to live anywhere near houses with children.. So that you might check into.. I aggree with Brian = Puckstop on the Gun issue..

[lizbud]

Oh geeze. I guess forewarned is forearmed & I'd just keep a distance
from him. I would also not let him make any attempt to warm up to the dogs
or make a habit of coming around your house for anything.

[ramanth]

Regarding the wasp spray, it was mentioned as a tool to use in a few of the self defense books I read, however, it's prohibited in Michigan to use it as a form of self defense.

As for the realtor, he may of not known. The home was a HUD home which means it was sold by the government. I don't think who lives nearby affects the price tag they put on a house.

[Freedom]

I don't think who lives nearby affects the price tag they put on a house.

Sorry, this is SO wrong. July 19, 2010; but there are many, many reports along this line.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/lo...-98633324.html
any "stigma or risk" associated with a home will affect its value.
. . . . .
A registered sex offender living nearby can make a home harder to sell and lower its value, according to a study by three Virginia professors.

The study found that the presence of a nearby offender reduced a home's value by about 9 percent and such houses took up to 10 percent longer to sell than homes with no registered sex offenders living close by.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/lo...#ixzz0vgEYIEAP


http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20050...edoffender.htm
Most states, although specific legal obligations vary, require sellers, listing agents and buyer's agents to provide any known information about registered sex offenders living in the area.

"Under civil code 1102 and/or 2079 [in California] a seller has a duty to disclose any facts that might materially affect the value or desirability of the property and to disclose those facts to any prospective purchaser. So clearly, if you have a registered sex offender living across the street and you have actual knowledge of that then that should be disclosed," says Spilger.

Many purchase contracts now include disclosure information about how to look up information on registered sex offenders. Requirements may vary from state-to-state, but many times a real estate agent or seller must simply inform the prospective buyer about where to look up information in the registered sex offender database for that area.

So the broker -- unless you hired a BUYER'S BROKER to represent YOU -- is not required to tell you but is usually in most areas required to tell you how to do your own due diligence and check up on this.

[IRescue452]

My guess is his girlfriend got mad at him, judging by the 3rd degree and short sentence. Don't let your guard down, but don't rate him in the same category as child predators either. That's not fair since you don't know his story. I have a relative who's a sex offender for being with a 17 year old when he was 18 or 19. She got mad at him. Sure he was stupid for being with somebody underage, but he isn't a child molestor and he isn't predatory. Get an alarm system if you don't already have one. And don't use a toxic chemical like wasp spray on anybody unless you want to be charged and sent to prison yourself.

[Karen]

My guess is his girlfriend got mad at him, judging by the 3rd degree and short sentence. Don't let your guard down, but don't rate him in the same category as child predators either. That's not fair since you don't know his story. I have a relative who's a sex offender for being with a 17 year old when he was 18 or 19. She got mad at him. Sure he was stupid for being with somebody underage, but he isn't a child molestor and he isn't predatory. Get an alarm system if you don't already have one. And don't use a toxic chemical like wasp spray on anybody unless you want to be charged and sent to prison yourself.

If you look at his age (currently 38) the date of the offense (2002) and that the other party involved had to be between the ages of 13 and 17, I doubt it was a "girlfriend mad at him" situation, frankly.

[Lady's Human]

Regarding the wasp spray, it was mentioned as a tool to use in a few of the self defense books I read, however, it's prohibited in Michigan to use it as a form of self defense..

The self defense book authors don't have to deal with the legal aftermath of hitting someone in the face with chemicals that can affect the nervous system.

A handgun is pretty much self defense.

Using Toxins as defense? It's no longer considered self defense.