Just about to close on a house...and found out my next door neighbor is a sex offender.. (crime, to buy)

[beeboah]

Originally Posted by PghPaNative

There are some ways out...

HOA rule book, you could say you do not agree with the HOA rules, they give you three days to deceide, that is a way out!

Home inspections, you could say your not happy with the outcome.

And I do believe Finiancial issues could be a way out as well.

I won't agrue anymore here, just trying to help you, done now...good luck with things

Thanks for this alternative information.

[SummerFrog]

I support the lawyers comment....don't do it.....your children are too precious....

[BBGsinger]

I have a family member who is a registered sex offender. I just want to point out that while it is not the *ideal* situation to leave near sex offenders, they are everywhere. Many offenders are dangerous, while others are rehabilitated. Consider yourself at an advantage in knowing who the sex offenders are. Typically, sex offenders have a harder time offending again because people know to keep their kids away from them... that is the point of Megan's Law. It is the unregistered, uncaught offenders who you need to worry most about. Be careful who your children spend time with... coaches, teachers in school and church, etc... If an adult shows a lot of interest in spending time (unsupervised) with your child, buying things for your child, etc... these could all be signs of "grooming", and your child may be a target for abuse. While I agree that it's unnerving to know that a sex offender lives in your neighborhood, I think it's important that the public understand how sex offenders operate so they can protect their children in appropriate ways. Rallying to kick an offender out of a neighborhood is unfair, I think. The offender is still a human being and needs a place to live too. The safety of your family is your responsibility and it's your duty to take proper precautions in your daily life (supervising your kids, locking your doors, etc...) to help prevent an intrusion by any type of offender. Let's face it; we live in an imperfect world with no perfect solutions.

[Stonecoldharbours]

Maybe he can go live with you then? sorry but they are just as bad as the ones who have not been caught here, just cause we know who they are and where they live, doesn't make them any less of threat here.... and I have no sympathy for them, NONE at all.

The safety of your family is your responsibility and it's your duty to take proper precautions in your daily life (supervising your kids, locking your doors, etc...)

I do agree with the statement you made above however, but still I don't think they are going to change and because of this, they shoudl not be allowed back into society. I am a survivor of a pedphile ring, within the very church I grew up in..so I feel VERY STRONGLY about this and will never change my mind or care bout them, they have no soul as far as I am concerned.

imperfect world with no perfect solutions

We do have solutions, if only those in power had the guts to do something bout it..Mmm.

[Stonecoldharbours]

Your welcomed Bee...let us know how things turn out here.

[beeboah]

Well this is how things have turned out. I actually took a look at where the alleged sex offender lived and it was several houses down and a few blocks away.

Mapquest makes it look like it was next door. We bought the house and we are happy.

[jballa]

Originally Posted by beeboah

Well this is how things have turned out. I actually took a look at where the alleged sex offender lived and it was several houses down and a few blocks away.

Mapquest makes it look like it was next door. We bought the house and we are happy.

Glad things worked out for you! I'm a little late but I had a similar experience to share, not to stick up for sex offenders, but to say that you have to take things into perspective.

I actually found out that I bought a house "next door" (in the country, so he's actually 3/4 mile away) to a sex offender about a month after I had closed and met the man. He seemed nice enough but me having no kids I only knew to beware of him, but I believe in the right to bear arms and I do so no biggie.
A year later, I think about it and it seems funny that this respectable man could be convicted of the offense. Turns out he was 19 and the girl was 16....statutory, 20 years ago!

Not saying don't be careful of him or others because every person is different, just don't judge people because you see it on the internet that he's a bad person.

God Bless.

[beeboah]

Originally Posted by jballa

Glad things worked out for you! I'm a little late but I had a similar experience to share, not to stick up for sex offenders, but to say that you have to take things into perspective.

I actually found out that I bought a house "next door" (in the country, so he's actually 3/4 mile away) to a sex offender about a month after I had closed and met the man. He seemed nice enough but me having no kids I only knew to beware of him, but I believe in the right to bear arms and I do so no biggie.
A year later, I think about it and it seems funny that this respectable man could be convicted of the offense. Turns out he was 19 and the girl was 16....statutory, 20 years ago!

Not saying don't be careful of him or others because every person is different, just don't judge people because you see it on the internet that he's a bad person.

God Bless.

Yes, you never know. I am definitely going to keep on the alert. Good thing is that the folks across the street work from home and are always looking out.

Thanks for your input.

[jmarkd]

A year later, I think about it and it seems funny that this respectable man could be convicted of the offense. Turns out he was 19 and the girl was 16....statutory, 20 years ago!

I looked into the Sex Offender Registry before I bought my house. There were two in my little town and a few in the larger neighboring town. 90% of them were rape convictions. Most were 20-30 years ago and did not involve children (like the statutory case above).

Unless you have a convicted child molester nearby it's probably as safe as any place. While your first responsibility is to ensure your family's safety, we have to give people the benefit of the doubt, and not assume that because they did wrong before they'll do it again. This is poignant in these old rape cases. I am glad to see you considered this with your new neighbor and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Most child molesters are pathological and repeat offenders, and I would never live near one. They ought to be lobotomized and castrated. But they are few and far between, despite what you see on the news. Someone who was convicted of rape is probably not psychotic or sick. Most likely they got drunk or used drugs, did a horrible thing, and have been paying for it ever since. I would imagine in some instances innocent people got convicted of rape as well.

[BBGsinger]

The title "sex offender" covers a wide variety of offenses, so some are more of a threat than others. Offenders can also be categorized as "violent sex offenders", which restricts them for life, where more "minor" offenses (in the eyes of the law) usually have a time limit. For example, here in PA, a nonviolent offender must only be registered for 10 years.