Grow-ops in Toronto- a growing concern

Marijuana Grow-ops are growing across Canada faster than the plants they house. Some estimates place the number of grow-ops in Canada at fifty thousand. Apart from the illegal nature of these operations, grow-ops create a plethora of problems that effect the health and value of the buildings in which they are housed. Here are a few:

•  Electricity meters are normally by passed and buildings rewired to support high intensity lighting.
• Mold contamination is produced throughout the property.
• Fertilizers, insecticides and other chemical products used in this indoor agricultural production contaminate structures and seep into the ground. 

More than 1000 homes have been seized by Toronto Police as grow-ops in since 2003, and probably thousands more are not yet detected.

Buyers should always request a certified home inspection before purchasing real estate.

Grow-ops disclosure is critical as it affects health and is expensive to remediate. Sellers must fully disclose the stigmatized nature of your property.

Real estate agents who are aware that a home was once a grow-op are obliged to disclose the information to potential buyers.

Apparently for grow-op homes sale price can be discounted heavily as much as 20-25% of market value. The undetected grow-ops can be patched up and resold. Often these homes may have altered structure and significant build up of mould which is unfit to live in for health and safety reasons. Therefore Buyers, watch out for those "renovators delight" or what appears to be the cheapest house in Toronto!

 A recent article in the National Post on the growing conecrns of grow-ops.