In Canada, officials have estimated that we could have up to 50,000 residences that are being utilized by professional growers as grow houses for marijuana cultivation where a single harvest of up to 1600 plants can generate $1.6 billion on the street. City suburbs are becoming preferred locations because residents do not ask questions or have suspicions and tend to be less distrustful. Both land owners and real estate purchasers should to be on the alert for the kind of damage to the property that professional growers leave behind and the possible risk they pose to the area in general.

Professional interior marijuana growing operations need powerful lights that are usually rigged up on systems that go around normal electrical circuits and create local power system overloads, resulting in outages and causing a potential fire risk. The chemicals used in growing can produce a dangerous residue, and it often happens that a property suffers structural damage from poorly done alterations. Extensive water damage is another concern caused by the size of these grow houses and mold and mildew buildup could be so bad that the structure has to be totally torn down. If you discover a Brampton house for sale which appears to be under valued you should be certain that you get it inspected for signs of it being a grow house prior to committing to the deal.

Usually these homes are not lived in on ongoing basis and indications of infrequent occupation are the first tips that a professional grower may be in operation. Prime candidates include homes that have bright light seeping out of the windows even though the shutters and shades are always shut tight. Another suspicious factor is the volume of condensation that may build up on the windows and in the winter the warmth from the equipment prevents the snow from accumulating on the rooftop. There has been occurrences with Barrie real estate that where set up as grow-ops with the tell-tale signs of a messy front yard with no grass.

Another sign is the amount of security around the house, and homes that have "no trespassing" signs or imposing electrical fencing in a relatively peaceful neighbourhood should trigger alarm bells. Mean looking watchdogs are sometimes used on the property to deter unwanted visitors, and as they are often left alone they often bark incessantly. On the flip side, be weary of a home that displays "beware of the dog" signs but does not appear to have animals on the property. Growers who own property may even have "for rent" signs to help justify the strange conditions that are present around such a property. Because of the strong smell that a large scale operation generates, the ventilation systems in grow houses are often reconfigured, and evidence of such activity includes interior construction noise and strange "skunk-like" smells seeping from the house on a regular basis. The authorities in Hamilton have found and shut down many of these operations which helps to avert a a decline in the value of Hamilton real estate as it keeps neighbourhoods safe and gets rid of the professional criminals.

Another questionable activity involves backing the vehicle into the garage, even for quick visits, and always using the garage door. Usually a grow house does not generate typical household trash on a regular basis and when there is trash it is made up of growing materials like plastic containers and empty bags of fertilizer and soil. Trash from interior construction, scraps of PVC pipe or aluminum shielding can also be indicators that an illegal operation is going on in the area.