REALTORS WANT CLIENTS TO KNOW ABOUT GROW-OP HOUSES

VANCOUVER -- B.C. realtors are calling for changes that would make it
easier for homebuyers to know if they're about to purchase a house used as
a marijuana grow operation or chemical drug lab.

B.C.'s two largest real estate boards -- the Real Estate Board of Greater
Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board -- have each submitted
proposals to the B.C. Real Estate Association calling for the standard
seller's disclosure statement to be altered to include reference to
marijuana grow-ops and labs where drugs like crystal meth are produced.

"This is a real problem and we want to take a stand and be proactive," said
Vancouver board president Bill Binnie. "The real estate community have
concerns like: 'Holy smokes, how can I protect my clients?' and we're
talking about buyers and sellers."

Association executive officer Robert Laing welcomed the proposals, adding
the disclosure form will be reviewed by a committee of realtors and lawyers
on Feb. 18.

"We want to deal with it right away -- it's certainly in our industry's
best interests to be seen as wanting to be on the right side of stopping
this kind of problem," Laing said. "The grow-op issue is unique in that the
stigmatization continues long after it has been a grow-op. There really is
a dangerous situation that people need to be aware of."

Laing said the committee's biggest challenge will be the choosing the right
wording on the form.

"They have got to come up with wording that is actually significant and
effective, like, 'Are you aware that this house has ever been a grow op?' "

The disclosure statements must be completed for every property sold in B.C.
Property owners are asked to reply to numerous questions about the home
with a 'Yes' or 'No' or "I don't know answer.

Buyers can pursue legal action against any seller who knowingly lies on a
statement. Some realtors feel the price of drug homes will drop by as much
as 10 per cent if the proposals are adopted but Binnie disagreed

"We're in a very active market and I don't see it affecting the value of
property at all," said Binnie. "Disclosing it up front is just going to
make the marketing process easier. There is not going to be any surprises
and surprises always foil a deal."

Some homes used as grow ops have needed elaborate renovations in excess of
$50,000 in order to make them livable again.

There are an estimated 600 grow ops in Richmond and one grow op is reported
to Surrey RCMP almost every second day.