Grow ops are buildings used illegally to grow marijuana. Grow houses are in residential buildings, but grow ops can be in commercial or agricultural buildings as well. Grow ops are everywhere in north America, and their numbers is said to be increasing every day. They are in small towns, huge cities and remote settings. No area is immune. They can occur anywhere.
Homes formerly used as grow ops drastically lose their market value. Are these homes a good deal for home buyers? Several former grow ops do have great value. They’re perfectly fine homes, especially when the grow ops involved a few plants or was out in the back garage. I would say a number of these homes would definitely be a good deal. In fact some old homes may be worse deals than former grow ops. However, it may be difficult to get financing because to the banks if it’s in the garage or in the house or five years ago or last week, fixed or not, it’s a former grow op.
Also, the fact that the house was used as a grow ops calls for you to be extra cautious. Marijuana apparently thrives in a warm moist environment. Unfortunately, so does mold. Mold grows even after the source of moisture and warmth has been reduced. In really bad cases, pesticides have also contaminated the environment, seeping into walls and floors. That’s why the saying “once a grow op always a grow op” has come into use.
As a buyer, the first thing you need to know is whether the house is structurally sound. If it is not, you would not want to continue with the deal. If it is structurally sound, the next thing you would want to know is the level of both biological and chemical pollutants. It is strongly recommended that you seek professional help before committing yourself to the deal. You may hire an Industrial Hygienist to perform a series of biological (primarily mold) and chemical sampling to determine if the home is still habitable. These contaminants are usually associated with grow ops and meth labs, though mold can be found in most water damaged homes.
Now if you’re looking at one of these former marijuana grow ops, and you want to buy one, and you think it’s an amazing deal, chances are it’s an amazing deal because most people can’t get financing on it. Most major banks have standing policies not to issue mortgages against former grow ops and insurance companies often refuse to insure them.
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