In Canada, officials have estimated that we could have up to 50,000 residences that are being used by skilled growers as grow houses for marijuana operations where a single crop of up to 1600 plants could net $1.6 billion on the street. City suburbs are becoming preferred locations since neighbors do not ask questions or have suspicions and tend to mind their own business. Both land owners and home purchasers need to keep their eyes peeled for the kind of damage to the property that these growers leave behind and the potential risk they pose to the neighborhood on the whole.

An interior professional marijuana cultivating setup requires large amounts of power for the lights and the traditional electrical system is often bypassed, which can overload neighbouring power networks and pose a possible fire risk and local power blackouts. The chemicals used in growing may leave behind a dangerous residue, and it often happens that a house suffers structural damage from poorly done modifications. As well, the quantity of water needed to run the operation may translate into heavy water damage and develop a mold and mildew growth that could result in the building needing to be demolished. If you discover a Brampton house for sale which seems to be priced very low you should make sure you have it looked at by a professional for signs of it being a grow house before committing to the deal.

Traditionally these houses are not occupied in on ongoing basis and indications of infrequent habitation are the first tips that a professional growing operation resides there. Good contenders include properties that have bright light shining through the windows even though the blinds and shades are always drawn tightly. Another telling sign is the amount of condensation that can build up on the windows and in the wintertime the heat from the equipment keeps the snow from accumulating on the rooftop. There have been occurrences with Barrie real estate that where once grow-ops with the suspicious indications of a messy front yard with no grass.

Another sign is the level of security around the house, and houses that have “no trespassing” signs or intimidating electric fences in a relatively peaceful neighborhood should set off alarm bells. Also dangerous watch dogs are used to prevent anyone from approaching the property, and they are regularly left on their own and bark frequently. On the other hand, homes with “beware of dog” signs that do not appear to have any pets are even more suspicious. Some owners who have purchased the home try to explain the unusual conditions by putting “for rent” signs in the front, but it is not advertised anywhere else. Because of the strong smell that a large scale operation creates, the ventilation systems in marijuana houses are often rebuilt, and proof of such activity includes indoor construction sounds and strange “skunk-like” smells coming from the house on a regular basis. These grow houses introduce organized crime which may effect the values for Hamilton real estate which is a situations that police operations and success in raiding such properties helps to prevent.

Questionable activity around a grow house includes people backing into the garage, despite stopping only for very short visits, and always entering the house through the garage door. Usually a grow house does not have typical household garbage on a regular basis and when there is trash it is composed of growing apparatus like plastic containers and empty soil and fertilizer bags. Debris from interior construction, scraps of PVC piping or aluminum shielding can also be indicators that an illegal operation is going on in the area.

Zombie Walk – Barrie Ontario 2011