GROW-OP REGISTRY SOUGHT

Home buyers can purchase a home today without having any knowledge
that it was previously used for a marijuana grow operation. Even the
realtor doesn't necessarily know about the home's history.

The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) is lobbying the province to
establish a central registry with a list of addresses of seized grow
operations in the province, says Sarnia-Lambton Real Estate Board
president Michelle Timmers.

She recently attended a lobbying session at Queen's Park where OREA
representatives urged provincial legislators to establish a registry.

Timmers said she knows of a couple of former grow-op homes that have
been sold in Sarnia-Lambton, and hasn't heard about any problems.

But she said there can be lingering issues with such homes, such as
mould, structural or electrical wiring problems, and possible
difficulty getting insurance.

People would rather know the facts up front than hear about it from
neighbours after they buy the home, she said.

"From a buying standpoint, it's to everyone's benefit to have full
disclosure," she said. "People should know what they're getting into
before they put their money down."

The proposed central registry could provide the public with a complete
address of a grow house operation, the date the municipality was
notified of its existence by police, the number of plants discovered
at the location, and the date on which the property was inspected by
the municipality.

"As a realtor it would provide me with access to information that may
affect my buyer's decision on whether or not they would be interested
in purchasing the property," said Timmers. "And certainly as a listing
agent, it's information which I would want to know should I list the
property for sale."

The issue is still being studied provincially with a report expected
in January.

The realtors also lobbied provincial legislators in support of Bill
152, which is intended to prevent legitimate home owners from losing
their properties by fraudulent means.

Timmers said this is a growing problem that includes identity theft,
in which homes are sold right out from under the legitimate owners, or
fraudulent mortgages in which the culprit pockets the mortgage money
and the property owner is saddled with a mortgage they didn't know
about and can't afford to pay.