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When James Silver and his wife bought their Vancouver home about a dozen years ago, it was in need of a major renovation.

That suited Silver, a handyman who over the next decade reduced the former marijuana grow op to its foundation and frame, then rebuilt it into a stylish five-bedroom, three-bathroom home plus suite. It was nearly brand new by the time he was finished with it.

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But when he and his wife tried to sell the home this spring, banks balked at lending to prospective buyers.

“We were blindsided by it,” Silver said.

“We’ve completely rebuilt the house … and we have nice families who want to buy our house who cannot get financing.”

That’s because Silver’s home, despite being completely renovated and certified safe by the city, is permanently stigmatized by its grow op history. It’s a past that makes the house difficult to sell, finance or insure.

Moreover, thousands of other homes across B.C. — including at least 2,450 in Vancouver alone — are in a similar bind.