Pubdate: Tue, 30 Oct 2007 Source: Windsor Star (CN ON) Copyright: 2007 The Windsor Star Contact: http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501 Author: James D. Godfrey GROW-OP COVERAGE APPLAUDED BY READER Grow-ops and the consuming public truly are at odds and I wanted to applaud The Windsor Star's Home Section for publishing Joe Montaleone's insights into house buying on Oct. 20. Star Justice Reporter Sarah Sacheli wrote a news piece on a judge handing out a harsh sentence to a Woodbridge, Ont., woman who used a Windsor home as a marijuana grow house, just days after Montaleone's insights were published. Sacheli's news piece on Oct. 23, makes it clear society is no longer going to sit idly by and watch our precious homes and neighbourhood's assets destroyed by the criminally sophisticated; we have grown uneasy with grow-ops. Montaleone pointed out in his real estate piece that homes that have been utilized as grow-ops have usually had significant changes made to the houses' infrastructures, which generally means the houses become mouldy and uninhabitable for future residents because of the need to keep the plants drenched with water. He also pointed out that these houses can be found in any area of the city. Thus, these houses are not necessarily very good buys despite whatever sale prices are advertised depending upon what type of "reconditioning" is required to bring the buildings back "up to code." I applaud The Windsor Star and its efforts through their vigilance in bringing about a greater level of consumer awareness, particularly when it involves the purchasing of a "big ticket" item such as a home and the subsequent protection of that purchase through insurance. James D. Godfrey Amherstburg - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom