Disclosing drug labs????

[Rick Neighbors]

Man, I didn't mean to start a drug legalization/child abuse/animal abuse...........topic.

Really I was talking about Appraiser abuse. Seems like every year there is something new to worry about disclosing...........or not.


I was talking about homes, with sales contracts, that we are appraising for a mortgage transaction, that may have been used in the past for a drug lab. Due to the associated health risks and stigma that may be attached to the property, is this another area that we are going to have to worry about? And where is that info found??

I have had to make "adjustments" with cost to cure, when homes smelled strong of cat urine, etc. But imagine the "cost to cure" for a home that had a drug lab in it!!

As far as beating kids, dogs, wives, husbands, and the occasional bystander.............that's really another topic. :lol:

Rick

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Another excellent reason to legalize drugs

I'm for lacing confiscated drugs with concentrated X-LAX and putting them back on the street.

don't think, or at least I hope that I haven't appraised any houses with meth labs

Note any odors of acetone or paint thinner, look for sudafed type drug packages, plastic syringes, Liter Coke bottles with clearish liquids in them...camp stove fuel, lighter fluid, drano, lye, etc, bunsen burners, etc. and simply report them on the report. Check above the Kitchen stove for soot mark, labs commonly flash over blacking the Fan/Hood or Ceiling. I might even make a note under the environmental section that you found items consistent with hazardous activity and recommend a home inspection and environmental site assessment. It is not your job to determine if it is a crime. I would delay completing the report if the violation is incontrovertable.

are we in violation of USPAP (privacy policy) for calling the police? I assume the answer is "yes",

I would assume the answer is no. The public safety trumps the privacy issue as you were invited into the place assuming you were doing an interior inspection. I don't do exterior inspects because I find it near impossible to get info from the realtor or the owner that I consider reliable. You don't have to complete the report, if you think that would be an issue. You cannot be sanctioned for a USPAP violation if there is no appraisal or appraisal report. The owners might charge that you are a trespasser. But I would take my chances on that.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Terrell, you know entirely too much about meth labs!

 

[xmrdfghap]

Terrell, you know entirely too much about meth labs!

With the number of such things going on, you had better know what the signs are.....you can get shot real easy around this part of the country.

In the past three years, I have been part of two busts....on was in a neighborhood where I did a walkthrough (very rural, causght a whiff of acetone and neighbors confirmed it....called a buddy in the sheriffs dept)