What Does an Appraiser do When Marijuana is Being Grown on a Property?
The Appraiser is walking around a 10 acre property, doing their normal inspection routine and follows a small road on the property, through a grove of trees and comes to a small… meadow (Yes, this is a real experience). What does the Appraiser see? Some very relaxed and mellow deer, and a marijuana cultivation operation. Of course, if this is me, I have to go check it out.
Occasionally, as Appraisers, we see the most interesting things and it’s not every day that you find a marijuana cultivation operation. What does the Appraiser do in a case like this?
First off, be careful.
Larger growing operations have been known to have security measures set up to deter unwanted attention. This is usually not the case, however, for small, personal sized patches of Mary Jane.
From http://www.canorml.org/camjlaws.html
California state law allows medical patients and their designated primary caregivers to legally possess and cultivate (but not distribute or sell) marijuana under Health and Safety Code 11362.5 (Prop 215), if they have a physician’s recommendation or approval. California state law SB420, now codified as California Health & Safety code sections 11362.7-11362.83, set a state threshold of 6 mature OR 12 immature plants per patient.
Cultivation of any amount of marijuana is a felony under Health and Safety Code 11358, if there is no physician’s recommendation or approval. People who grow for personal use are eligible for diversion under Penal Code 1000 so long as there is no evidence of intent to sell.
The big question I always get on this topic is “Hey….Duuuuude…..What sort of effect does have Ganja planted on a property have on the value?”
Really, it has no impact. Especially for personal use amounts, it’s nothing more than landscaping.
If there are more than 6 plants, should the Appraiser report it to authorities? IMHO, no. Appraisers are not morality inspectors. We just look at what things impact the marketability of a property and nothing else.
SO the next time you are walking a property and the deer are reeeallllyyyyyy mellow, be on the lookout for that little garden of Chronic.