Help with stealth before home appraisal

[CannaSci]

I've got two 3x3x6 tents set up with RDWC and alternating veg/flower in my basement storage room with a bunch of shelving and other random crap. All is well but I am refinancing my home and need a home appraisal done before closing on the loan. I've never had a home appraisal so I don't know how detailed they get. Does anyone know what is all involved? Like, do they measure and look around every room or is it just a quick glance where they write down the obvious?

Somehow I need to hide these tents without removing them. I thought about making a large curtain to go around the entire area but what would I say if they asked what it was? That or I leave it all in plain sight and have some tomato or pepper plants in a hydro system outside of the tents to make it seem legit... and hope they don't ask about it.

Eventually, I want to partition the grow area off into its own room by building another wall in the room.

 

[Budgrowguide]

My experience with a home appraiser was that they wanted to look around the whole house. He didn't make measurements but he was looking at the finishes and for big issues with the house. I think your idea with the Tomato plants is spot on. Hide in plain sight. They won't open the tents so you should be fine.

 

[JSB99]

I've got two 3x3x6 tents set up with RDWC and alternating veg/flower in my basement storage room with a bunch of shelving and other random crap. All is well but I am refinancing my home and need a home appraisal done before closing on the loan. I've never had a home appraisal so I don't know how detailed they get. Does anyone know what is all involved? Like, do they measure and look around every room or is it just a quick glance where they write down the obvious?

Somehow I need to hide these tents without removing them. I thought about making a large curtain to go around the entire area but what would I say if they asked what it was? That or I leave it all in plain sight and have some tomato or pepper plants in a hydro system outside of the tents to make it seem legit... and hope they don't ask about it.

Eventually, I want to partition the grow area off into its own room by building another wall in the room.

Are you worried because you're not in a legal state, or because of privacy? I would think it'd be against the law for an appraiser to share information about the contents of someone's appraised home.

Regardless, the appraiser's probably going to be nosey, out of curiosity. Whatever you come up with, the appraiser's probably going to say "Oh, can I see?", so you should probably think of a reason why you can't open the tents. Maybe something like "There's co2 feeding the tomato plants right now, and if I open the tent it'll leak out. It's kind of expensive, so I can't afford to waste any." You know, some bullshit answer.

 

[CannaSci]

Are you worried because you're not in a legal state, or because of privacy? I would think it'd be against the law for an appraiser to share information about the contents of someone's appraised home.

Regardless, the appraiser's probably going to be nosey, out of curiosity. Whatever you come up with, the appraiser's probably going to say "Oh, can I see?", so you should probably think of a reason why you can't open the tents. Maybe something like "There's co2 feeding the tomato plants right now, and if I open the tent it'll leak out. It's kind of expensive, so I can't afford to waste any." You know, some bullshit answer.

Correct, not in a legal state. Good idea on the c02... I'll keep that one handy.

 

[coreywebster]

Your borrowing money against your house, the people lending you the money are going to see your grow and consider it a risk, an uninsured risk which means if you burn your house down you don't get paid out and you owe a debt that you can never pay having lost your house and it been burnt to the ground. That's enough to turn your loan down.

Get rid of any evidence of your grow.

 

[macsnax]

Your borrowing money against your house, the people lending you the money are going to see your grow and consider it a risk, an uninsured risk which means if you burn your house down you don't get paid out and you owe a debt that you can never pay having lost your house and it been burnt to the ground. That's enough to turn your loan down.

Get rid of any evidence of your grow.

Zero smell as well.

 

[KrazyG]

I've seen something similar on another thread and the best solution I saw was hire a U-Haul and throw the ladies into dark until safe.

 

[JSB99]

Or try to delay the refi/appraisal until you're between grows. A couple of tents inside the home will look kind of suspect, and you have no idea what your appraiser's attitude on something like that. Maybe his brother in law's a cop or something. You just never know. If he's not cool, you could end up with cops at your door with a search warrant. IMO, it's not worth the risk. I know that sucks, but getting busted is the worst! The only safe way is to get it out of the house, if you can figure out how the relocate it.

 

[CannaSci]

Your borrowing money against your house, the people lending you the money are going to see your grow and consider it a risk, an uninsured risk which means if you burn your house down you don't get paid out and you owe a debt that you can never pay having lost your house and it been burnt to the ground. That's enough to turn your loan down.

Get rid of any evidence of your grow.

This appraisal is for a mortgage, not insurance. I'm pretty sure they would only be concerned about the condition and structural integrity of the home's interior, exterior, land, and the value of recently sold homes in the area. They have no idea what kind of insurance I have on my home. I see your point, though.

Or try to delay the refi/appraisal until you're between grows. A couple of tents inside the home will look kind of suspect, and you have no idea what your appraiser's attitude on something like that. Maybe his brother in law's a cop or something. You just never know. If he's not cool, you could end up with cops at your door with a search warrant. IMO, it's not worth the risk. I know that sucks, but getting busted is the worst! The only safe way is to get it out of the house, if you can figure out how the relocate it.

That was my first thought, but I have harvest due Dec 25th and Jan 25th and they are all scrogged up and hard to move. I suppose I could destroy all of my plants but... what a waste.

I might postpone everything at this point, my weed is more important lol.

 

[JSB99]

This appraisal is for a mortgage, not insurance. I'm pretty sure they would only be concerned about the condition and structural integrity of the home's interior, exterior, land, and the value of recently sold homes in the area. They have no idea what kind of insurance I have on my home. I see your point, though.



That was my first thought, but I have harvest due Dec 25th and Jan 25th and they are all scrogged up and hard to move. I suppose I could destroy all of my plants but... what a waste.

I might postpone everything at this point, my weed is more important lol.

I'm with you! Especially when you put a value on a harvest, whether you're selling it or not. You're potentially looking at a few thousand bucks. When you put a dollar value on it, it puts it in perspective

 

[klozetgrow]

Uhaul not the worst idea if in a pinch run a single power source just enough to get by but if you can go inbetween harvest though probably be easiest

 

[CannaSci]

I'm with you! Especially when you put a value on a harvest, whether you're selling it or not. You're potentially looking at a few thousand bucks. When you put a dollar value on it, it puts it in perspective

Indeed. I don't sell but my wife and I rely on it personally. She needs it more than I do, medicinally for her fibromyalgia pain. Basically, if I don't grow it then I have to buy it. So its costly in that aspect.

 

[JSB99]

Indeed. I don't sell but my wife and I rely on it personally. She needs it more than I do, medicinally for her fibromyalgia pain. Basically, if I don't grow it then I have to buy it. So its costly in that aspect.

I suffer from Fibromyalgia myself. Really sucks!

 

[JSB99]

Uhaul not the worst idea if in a pinch run a single power source just enough to get by but if you can go inbetween harvest though probably be easiest

Great idea! Only thing is, he's got a SCROG going, so he can't move it.

...and a DWC. Probably the least mobile lol!

 

[SSGrower]

Hide all evidence, mortgage is a federal thing so its questionable at best even in a legal state. Get a trailer off cl, move everything, the resell trailer back on cl, or make the best excuse ever to get an atv!

 

[CannaSci]

I suffer from Fibromyalgia myself. Really sucks!

Not to get off topic but I am curious; have you found a certain strain that helps best with your fibro pain? Right now I am growing Northern Lights and White Widow but I have high CBD strain seeds for Cannatonic and CBD Critical Mass that I will be trying out hopefully next year. 75% of my yield is smoked, the rest goes into edibles and capsules. The goal is to produce a daytime (low THC) capsule that she can take while at work without getting too high to work.

Hide all evidence, mortgage is a federal thing so its questionable at best even in a legal state. Get a trailer off cl, move everything, the resell trailer back on cl, or make the best excuse ever to get an atv!

lol, who needs an excuse? I think I am going to postpone everything for now and slowly move and build a stealth cabinet(s) setup. All of this has made me realize how difficult to move I've made my setup.

 

[Jypsy Dog]

Gotta keep it Mobile! Scrog included.

 

[Stiickygreen]

It isn't worth the risk. Tear down and move...somehow.... 'cus the mortgage company isn't gonna wait 2 months more to close a house deal because you won't let them in . They will just deny your mortgage application and go on.

However you decide to go, be aware that a home inspector will likely look at all mechanical aspects of the house from top to bottom....the overall condition of the house....will measure all rooms for proper sq footage....etc. If they are thorough, they will basically inspect all areas of your house, including the basement and attic spaces....

And keep this in mind..... we sold a house 2 years ago that I grew in for 20+ years...both illegally and then later...as a licensed med patient. The home inspector we had was CRAZY thorough. I had torn down and hauled out all the walls/etc from my historic grow space that was located in the crawlspace.....but I missed a few staples in the ceiling joist that held up some mylar and he saw those PRONTO....and made the link that it was once a grow..... and that sent him into hyperdrive LOOKING FOR MOLD because it's now "a grow house:"

My grow was well ventilated.....so I know there was no mold down there......and that was true. Where he did find specks of mold was in the attic....COMPLETELY UNRELATED to the grow...and he even stated that it was from condensation from snow load in Winter....but once the M word is mentioned....SOMEBODY GETS TO MAKE MUCHO CASH....and you are screwed.

$13,000 later....we were mold free and the inspector signed off on the house..........

And lawyers and JAIL are even more expensive. Say the tried and true phrase "Live to grow another day" 10 times....then follow through and get that shit out of there before you are truly screwed...

 

[CannaSci]

It isn't worth the risk. Tear down and move...somehow.... 'cus the mortgage company isn't gonna wait 2 months more to close a house deal because you won't let them in . They will just deny your mortgage application and go on.

However you decide to go, be aware that a home inspector will likely look at all mechanical aspects of the house from top to bottom....the overall condition of the house....will measure all rooms for proper sq footage....etc. If they are thorough, they will basically inspect all areas of your house, including the basement and attic spaces....

And keep this in mind..... we sold a house 2 years ago that I grew in for 20+ years...both illegally and then later...as a licensed med patient. The home inspector we had was CRAZY thorough. I had torn down and hauled out all the walls/etc from my historic grow space that was located in the crawlspace.....but I missed a few staples in the ceiling joist that held up some mylar and he saw those PRONTO....and made the link that it was once a grow..... and that sent him into hyperdrive LOOKING FOR MOLD because it's now "a grow house:"

My grow was well ventilated.....so I know there was no mold down there......and that was true. Where he did find specks of mold was in the attic....COMPLETELY UNRELATED to the grow...and he even stated that it was from condensation from snow load in Winter....but once the M word is mentioned....SOMEBODY GETS TO MAKE MUCHO CASH....and you are screwed.

$13,000 later....we were mold free and the inspector signed off on the house..........

And lawyers and JAIL are even more expensive. Say the tried and true phrase "Live to grow another day" 10 times....then follow through and get that shit out of there before you are truly screwed...

Right, I haven't had them submit the loan application yet to the feds, so I'm not making anyone wait. It's more complicated than that, but I won't discuss that here. I've had home inspectors do their thing before in my last house but this won't be THAT involved, it is an appraisal not an inspection. I am postponing this for at least a few months, but for other reasons too.

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

i like the u-haul idea, you wouldn't even have to move it, run a couple of extension cords to it and leave it in the driveway for the day or two you'll need it, unload it in the middle of the night when they're through.