States grapple with question of disclosing sex offenders
April 1, 2008 by Deborah Boza-Va... commentA growing number of states are trying to sort out the question of who is responsible for disclosing the presence of sex predators in a neighborhood to potential homebuyers. In most states, sellers and real estate agents are not required to disclose such information, and the National Association of Realtors has no policy either, said Ralph Holman, the group’s associate general counsel. USA TODAY interviews with real estate agents and consumer affairs officials nationwide showed most states do not require disclosure, and some have gone so far as to pass laws freeing them of that responsibility.
A 2006 lawsuit filed by a Melbourne, Fla., couple who say they should have been told of a neighboring offender before they bought a house in a quiet, middle-class subdivision could set a precedent in Florida, where an absence of statutes and case law leaves the 2005 sale up to the court, attorneys for both sides say. The rest of this story...
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Posted in: Law & Real Estate
