Weed, Mary-Jane, skunk, marihuana, pot, reefer, dope, ganga, and herb are just some of the names used in place of cannabis. It has been over one year since Cannabis was legalized in Canada. What does that mean for the world of real estate? What does it mean if you are selling or buying?
How many cannabis plants is a person legally allowed to possess? The answer is four; 4 plants per household. Even if there are four adults living in your home, the math does not add up to 16. It still adds up to four.
Now, the trouble arises when marihuana is grown in a home or outbuilding. When in was policing and working in a drug section, I remember, dealing with, and dismantling major grow operations. From electrical bypass to automated water cycles going 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 90 days. Harvest. Then start again. Chemicals, water, and electricity pumping through a home. All of these things makeup a grow operation and can directly impact the integrity of your home, or the home you may purchase. Some of these issues are:
· Chemicals in the air can affect the air quality in the home;
· the moisture produced from the operation produces moisture and can lead to mold, health concerns due to air quality, and structural issues with excessive moisture
· illegal grow operations often have electrical and structural alteration in the home. obviously leading to other potential safety issues
Even though marihuana is legal, sort of, due to the strict limits and guidelines, illegal grow operations still remain prevalent. This means that disclosure of grow ops when selling real property is paramount. As a buyer, that is aware there was a grow op in a home, you and your agent need to make all reasonable efforts to inspect the property to find if there are any implications.
As a seller, you will have to disclose to your agent, and determine whether you are dealing with a material latent defect or not. This is a whole different topic. But failure to disclose a latent defect can lead to potential legal liability. A latent defect is something that effects the
Let me know if you have questions about this. Or get legal advice before listing / buying real property that is affected by a marihuana grow operation.
As for Organized October, unfortunately, my tidying efforts are still ongoing. Don’t get me wrong, I am loving the results of this process. But it ain’t easy. It is a little overwhelming to say the least. I deviated from her checklist. Big mistake. In turn I was wandering around tidying a closet or drawer here and there. So, I am back on track. Today I will be tackling my pantry. My pantry is huge and is a proverbial dumping ground for everything. From plastic bags, to thrift store boxes & empty wine bottles, baking supplies, and all our snacks.
Shannon Cutler @ Macdonald Real Estate Group.
Realtor® Vancouver Island, BC.