Has That House Ever Been a Meth Lab?

If this bill in the General Assembly passes, home Sellers will have to disclose if a house has ever been used as a meth lab.

What would be as good if not better would be would be if a database existed where the public could search for meth lab houses … and then not buy them.

I’ve shown only one house that I thought might have been a meth lab … so far as I know this isn’t a huge problem in the Charlottesville area (although I’ve heard some neighboring regions have had significant issues).

The National Association of Realtors has a tremendous amount of information on meth labs (no longer available), including these tips:

Is there a meth lab operation on your property?

What to look for:

• Strong chemical odors (e.g., ether, cat urine, ammonia)

• Blacked-out windows

• Frequent visitors at odd times

• Rent payments made in cash

• Excessive trash (e.g., fuel cans, antifreeze containers, and other household products)

• Red-stained walls; stripped batteries; and blue, corroded valves on propane cylinders

Always something new to learn in real estate …