A buyer asks about a rumor that a sex offender lives in the neighborhood. The real estate agent should:

• A. Disclose nothing and avoid the topic.
• B. Tell them to contact the local police.
• C. Check with the homeowners association.
• D. Inform the buyers where this information can be verified.

Answer: (D)

When a buyer asks about rumors affecting safety in a neighborhood, the agent should guide them to verifiable, public sources rather than repeating gossip. The best approach is to inform the buyers where this information can be verified, so they can check the facts themselves from a credible source. This protects privacy, reduces the risk of spreading unverified information, and fulfills the duty to provide access to material facts through reliable channels.

Providing nothing about the topic leaves a potential safety concern unaddressed and could be seen as withholding information. Checking with the homeowners association isn’t appropriate here because HOAs typically don’t maintain or verify sex offender data. Simply telling them to contact the local police is less direct for obtaining specific registry information; pointing them to the official public registry or equivalent authoritative source is clearer and more reliable.