1. Cruise the neighborhood at night. You’ll see the guy next door while he’s at home. 

2. Talk with the local store owners. They’re always the first to tell you who the pains are, who stiffed them, and who’s involved in a lawsuit. 

3. Walk the neighborhood during rush hour. Not just block, but the four blocks surrounding yours. 

4. Look for basketball hoops, skateboard ramps, and trampolines, all tell-tale signs of the racket-maker.

5. Watch and listen for the barking and unleashed neighborhood dogs. 

6. Poke around the town clerk’s office to find out which neighbors have filed for what.

7. Take a cyberspace tour on ‘Google Street View’ to check out empty lots and backyards that look like a landfill.

8. Check on-line registries for the location of any local sex offenders.

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