One of the city's more notorious former marijuana grow-op homes has been getting a bad rap, according to realtor Mike Leclerc.
"There were media reports about mold being caked on the walls," says the agent with Century 21. "And that really wasn't the case."
But even with the bad press, possible suitors were undeterred in the city's hot real estate climate.
The Garden City home, featured in a Free Press story earlier this year after it had started a real estate bidding war, eventually sold for more than $190,000, far above listing price of just under $120,000.
Leclerc is representing the couple who bought the bungalow. They purchased it site unseen because it was deemed too dangerous to let potential buyers walk through without wearing protective covering and ventilators. Out of the 64 bids made on the home, theirs was the third highest, but they sealed the deal by making certain concessions.
"We waived every right known to man," says Melanie, 46, who with her partner Craig, 45 (neither wanted their last names published), plan on re-mediating the damage done by the grow op, then renovating it and selling it within the next couple of months.
Part of the deal included opening themselves up for possible liability for any liens against the home, such as unpaid utilities.
Fortunately, the bills were paid up. Unfortunately, the previous residents had been stealing water and electricity.
The estimated bills ran into the tens of thousands of dollars.
"They decided to go after the previous owners for the stolen utilities instead of us," says Melanie, adding they plan to spend more than $100,000 on repairs and renovations and hope to have it ready for sale by the end of June.
Their streak of luck continued when they saw the interior. It was in surprisingly good condition unlike many houses that have been turned into marijuana grow operations.
Even still, they needed advice from CMHC, which recommended they hire an air quality inspector -- necessary to even have it considered for mortgage insurance from the government organization once buyers come knocking.
"Overall, it wasn't all that bad," says Roger Chamberland, a former fire code inspector who runs House Review, a home inspection company. He has been trained by CMHC in air quality inspection, but he says he is not affiliated with CMHC, nor does his report guarantee approval.
When hired, he had expected the worst. He brought protective clothing and a ventilator to guard against the toxic fumes that allegedly lurked inside.
Mould, pesticide and fungicide residues pose potential health hazards and are commonly found in former grow houses.
"I've seen them where everything was covered with black mold," says Chamberland, who has previously inspected 12 houses that have been suspected as former grow-ops.
This was the first he'd ever been asked to inspect after it was purchased.
Normally, he says he would be reluctant to help determine what needed to be done to a former grow-op after it was purchased because many are beyond repair -- they're so warped, rotted and mouldy, it makes more sense to rip them down.
Because this home was in such good shape, he says he decided work with the new owners.
Among his first recommendation was to hire a professional cleaning company to clean the interior, and further ones could be pending as the investigation continues.
So far, the house is half-gutted, and the sub-floor exposed. The power has been recently re-connected but not before the hole in the basement wall near the power box had been filled. The growers had drilled through the concrete to tap into the power coming into the house before it reached the power meter, providing free power to run the grow-op.
All in all, Melanie and Craig say it hasn't been all that much different than the eight other houses they've bought, fixed up and sold -- aside from the fact this one had illegal activity in the basement.
Still, a CMHC expert in the area warns people should be wary of buying then even when they look relatively clean.
Dr. Virginia Salares, a chemist and CMHC researcher on the subject, says it's rare to find unscathed homes that were former grow-ops.
"These homes can be more difficult to fix up than they appear," she says. "It's behind the walls where the mould can grow."
Unless it's cleaned up after being assessed by an inspector specializing in air quality, mould can remain unseen, continuing to grow and cause health problems
Chamberland says he would not speculate why the home was in relatively good condition, but he doubts it was because the previous residents were conscientious.
"Houses are simply tools for these people. Most of the time they don't care about what happens to the home."
But Leclerc has his own theory of why the home was in better shape than most.
"Maybe they were grow-op professionals -- if there exists such a thing."
Quick facts
2,029-square-foot bungalow with attached double garage at 42 Envoy Crescent in Garden City.
New owners took over home in February, out-bidding 63 other offers. Purchase price: $192,100.
Raided by police March 1, 2007. Grow-op contained 2,735 plants, which police estimate has a street value of about $3 million.
A Health Canada report states "mold contamination was associated with a 50 per cent relative increase in asthma and a 60 per cent increase in upper respiratory disease." It is considered the one of the biggest health hazards to occupants of former grow houses.
Winnipeg Police Service webpage listing homes where grow-ops were found: www.winnipeg.ca/police/drug_awareness/growop_addresses.stm
CMHC report, authored by Dr. Virginia Salares, on air quality in former grow-ops: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/65336.pdf
For advice on purchasing a former grow-op house in Winnipeg, contact CMHC at 204-983-5600.
