Inspecting a grow operation

I just did an inspection on a property that had a grow operation in the back of the garage. I don’t know how it is in other states but here in Michigan it’s no surprise.
And it’s perfectly legal. I took pictures and noted it in my report. Nothing was actively growing in there at that time, but the rooms purpose was obvious.
A few weeks after my inspection I received a phone call from the real-estate agent saying that the appraiser came back and that they can’t approve the loan until that room is completely cleared of the grow equipment, the appraiser goes out and retakes pictures. This is because loans are federally regulated and the US government still considers weed as category 1 narcotic. There for they will not approve. Is this a common issue other inspectors run in to?
Should we warn our clients when we do see these things?

About issues related to appraisals?
I’d let the lender or agent deal with such things, it’s not in our wheelhouse.

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Of what? That the prior homeowner is a gardener, and he began his own tomato plants from seed in his garage over winter??

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What JJ said. I describe such scenarios as “indoor horticulture”.

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Haven’t seen a residential indoor “tomato” set up here yet. The only inspections I’ve performed on “tomato” grow operations were on an old industrial warehouse in Denver that was being renovated to grow “tomatoes”. But we were just hired to inspect the added structural components.

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I’ve got three commercial growing facilities under my belt. There’s been a ton of consolidation in the industry.

Point being… do you report on “ASSumptions” or “Facts”? If you didn’t see something with your own eyes, how do you know with any certainty of what activities took place?? Talk about taking liability!!

Both of these are just outside city limits of my small town in Minnesota. Without seeing the actual product, they could both easily be deemed as “grow operations”… because they are!!!

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I never assume anything, I was just be silly with wording. In my case it was definitely going to be used to grow marijuana. :laughing:

Side note: Why is it called a greenhouse when growing lettuce, flowers, or food but it is a growing operation when growing marijuana? :thinking:

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Yes, I know. I was speaking generally. HOW does the OP know what it was being used for. He didn’t actually see anything!! This is where many an inspector get’s “in the shit” with their reporting!!

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