Tuesday, June 12

Niche And Grow Rich . . . Or So They Thought!

May 30, 2007 ·

We all know there are far too many real estate agents in Southern California! So how do you gain an advantage in a saturated market? Marketing 101 teaches us that it’s a smart idea to specialize in a specific niche to gain more business. However, when choosing to specialize, selecting to serve a niche that will use the house for criminal enterprise may not be the wisest long term career move.
I’m sure we all heard about the Stockton California Police finding a string of grow-ops homes, (homes that had been converted to indoor pot farms). Like all good investigators, the police looked for commonality that linked the houses. Bingo they found one! All of the homes had been purchased by a buyer who used the services of two enterprising real estate agents inpurchasing a total of 41 grow-ops throughout San Joaquin and Sacramento counties. These are real estate agents who found their niche and stuck with it!

Those same type indoor grow-ops are now magically appearing all over the western half of the Inland Valley. The Diamond Bar Neighborhood Watch is one among many neighborhoods that have revived its crime-watch program after police raided several local homes in our region.

A sophisticated cultivation system was installed in this local Inland Valley home that included 70 1000-watt sun lamps, 70 power box converters, 12 industrial sized air purifiers, 35 wall fans, and over 200 gallons of liquid fertilizer. Installed throughout the entire house was a drip irrigation and water recycling system

Keep a Watchful Eye

Neighbors keep a watchful eye out for suspicious activity that could indicate that other grow operations are hidden behind closed doors in a home near you. According to Los Angeles County sheriff Lt. Jim Whitten here are some signs to watch for:

  • Windows are always shut.
  • Unkempt yards.
  • Lack of activity inside and outside.
  • Mail or newspapers piling up outside.
  • New owners immediately begin heavy construction inside.
  • Owners move in several items, but there is a noticeable absence of clothing or furniture.
  • A three- or four-bedroom house has only one or two people seen there during the week.
  • The presence of a strong smell similar to skunk odor.

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