Would You Buy a Grow-Op House in Mississauga?
Published January 29, 2016 at 1:51 pm
If there’s any truth to the saying, “there’s a lid for every pot,” does it mean there’s always a buyer for every house? What if there was a stigma attached to said “pot,” such as it being a former grow-op?
On a recent MLS search, I looked at a typical detached house in my very own community (I’m going to keep the specifics anonymous because I don’t want to be that realtor who bad mouths other listings — at least not in public, printed format). Other then the fact that the house is located in a very family-friendly neighbourhood, nothing really stood out.
Except for the disclaimer, at the very bottom of the listing, that the house is a fully renovated and remediated grow-op! The photos depicted an upscale looking front room with impressive hardwood floors throughout.
Legally, if a realtor (or even seller) knows that a property has been used to manufacture drugs, they must disclose this fact. So I wasn’t really surprised to read this in black and white. What I was surprised by was the fact that this house was a stone’s throw away from my house! I brought up this topic with my friend and professional home appraiser, Alfred Lee, who said, “you’ll be surprised at how common this is!” Alfred has appraised grow-ops along the can’t-even-tell to have-to-wear-a-mask spectrum.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where most people are homeowners, the risk of having a grow-op next-door is dramatically lessened. However, if like the majority of the population, you live in a condo or even a ‘hood where parts — if not whole houses — are being rented, the risk increases (especially if tenants aren’t being properly screened).
This former remediated grow-op is definitely on my watch list! If it ends up selling for anything close to list price — especially since I know what they originally paid for the property — then it’s just further evidence that the current market is out of hand.
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All puns aside, would you personally buy a house that was used to make Mary-J?
Would you purchase a house that was a former Grow-Op?
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