The History of Meth lab Homes in Utah spans decades
November 15, 2008
Meth lab homes in Utah are nothing new. In fact, according to reports by the Utah Department of Public Safety, the state has had meth labs for at least 23 years. The number of homes that are still contaminated in Utah is unknown. What is known is that manufacturing meth produces toxic chemicals that endanger the health of men, women, children, and animals.
1985 - The first phenyl acetic acid/lead acetate lab was located in a residence in Salt Lake Read more
Salt Lake County family denied the right to sue health department over meth lab home
November 15, 2008
Like thousands of people across America, the Alkinani family bought a home expecting that the home was “safe to live in”. But, when neighbors told them that the home had been used as a meth lab, they decided to contact their local health department. The health department admitted that the home had once been used as Read more
Buyer Beware: California foreclosures are rising
November 10, 2008
Video: Foreclosures are continuing to rise in California and elsewhere across the country.
If you’re thinking about buying a foreclosure in California or elsewhere, be aware that banks are not required to disclose whether or not the home was used as a meth lab.
Chemicals in Texas meth lab home cause family dog to have seizures
November 7, 2008
The following story is posted with permission from a woman who shared her meth lab home story with me this week. Her story shows just how dangerous the chemicals used in meth labs can be. By sharing her story on Meth Lab Homes, she hopes that others might learn from her family’s experience.
Comment: If meth testing was required by the state before the home was sold, this tragic story would never have occurred.
“My husband and I just bought a house in Texas and are devastated by what we just found out. We were told by neighbors that the guy who lived here before us was a drug dealer. We really had no idea what that meant Read more
Illinois Sheriff helps those living in foreclosed homes
October 8, 2008
Sheriff Tom Dart says that as of tomorrow, Oct. 9, said that he won’t get involved with evicting anyone from their home. According to the USA Today story, Dart has refused to get involved with evictions because he says that his deputies have no way of knowing if the eviction notices they’re serving to residents are Read more
Lincoln County Minnesota: Meth lab news for home buyers
October 8, 2008
Lincoln County, Minnesota has figured out a way to deal with the high cost of decontaminating meth lab homes. They are going to make property owners responsible for paying for the cleanup. You could do what my son did in 2004 and buy a toxin-filled home and be left holding the bill for the cleanup, despite the fact that you had nothing to do with the contamination.
While I want to alert everyone about Lincoln County, MN about what’s going to happen to property owners there, you need to know that Read more
Texas meth labs pose health threat to families with children
September 11, 2008
If you’re renting or buying a home in Texas, do your homework before you sign on the dotted line! Texas does not require a landlord to tell a renter that the home was used as a meth lab, nor does it require that the home be decontaminated after the lab has been shut down by law enforcement. Texas residents or those hoping to Read more
Flip that house: Meth lab foreclosures and cleanup costs
August 18, 2008
Buying a foreclosed home can be a lucrative purchase for real estate investors, who can successfully flip the house for thousands more than they paid for it. But, the growth of meth lab homes in the U.S. has made house flipping much less profitable than a decade ago. Combined with a slow economy, buying a foreclosure for house flippers, may in fact cost them money instead of putting money in their pockets. That is, if the Read more
Missouri Sheriff warns citizens not to rely on state statistics
July 14, 2008
In February 2008, 2 meth labs were discovered in Boone County, Missouri. One lab was found in an apartment located at 405 N. Garth Ave., and another active lab was found in the 4000 block of Griffits Lane, northwest of Columbia. Yet, both labs were omitted from Missouri’s yearly report about meth lab seizures. Read more
Mississippi meth disclosure on real estate forms is no guarantee
July 5, 2008
If you’re buying a home in Mississippi through a licensed realtor, you’ll notice something new on the seller’s disclosure form - methamphetamine labs. If a seller knows that the home was used to make meth, they are supposed to let you know by indicating it on the form. However, home buyers should not think of the disclosure as a guarantee that the home was never a meth lab. The home could still be contaminated, with or without the seller’s knowledge. Just because a realtor’s disclosure form doesn’t reveal that the home was a meth lab, it doesn’t mean that the home never was. Read more