Drug farm found at business park
HOUSE hunters in the North East take just 27 minutes on average making their mind up to buy a property, a survey has found.
The research, from property website Zoopla, found the typical decision to buy a home when viewing it in person takes 27 minutes – around the same length of time as an episode of Coronation Street.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of home owners surveyed said they knew the property was right for them in 10 minutes or less.
People were found to take longer deliberating over buying a smartphone or a tablet than they were their home. The decision to buy a smartphone took 46 minutes on average, while those who owned a tablet spent 36 minutes on average making their minds up, the survey of more than 2,000 people found.
Across Britain, buyers in the east of England deliberate the longest, at 32 minutes on average, while those in the East Midlands are the quickest, taking just under 26 minutes on average to decide to buy.
Over half (51%) of home owners surveyed said they had made an offer on the same day they viewed their property.
The ability to make a quick decision over a property could partly be down to many people having done their homework before property viewings. The average house hunter was found to have spent 75 hours on average in their search, including visiting websites and going to see estate agents.
Lawrence Hall, a spokesman for Zoopla, said: “The process of buying a home is a hugely emotive one.”
He said while making a quick decision can help to secure a property in a fast-moving market, buyers should also keep a “strong head” and build up their knowledge before viewing a property and making an offer. They could do this with online research as well as by speaking to a local estate agent.
Average length of time viewing by region: East Midlands, 26; East of England, 32; London, 27; North East, 27; North West, 27; Scotland, 26; South East, 26; South West, 26; Wales, 27; West Midlands, 30; Yorkshire and the Humber, 28. Reporter A CANNABIS farm worth nearly £200,000 has been discovered on Tyneside after members of the public noticed a pungent smell.
The farm was uncovered at a unit in Monkton Business Park in Hebburn, and police found approximately 200 plants.
Denise Townsley, local neighbourhood inspector, has praised those who came forward and raised their concerns.
She said: “This is a considerable amount of cannabis that we can only assume was meant to be sold on, and thanks to the information passed to us from members of the public, it is now off our streets.
“It was clear when officers entered the unit it was a professional set-up and our enquiries are now on-going to identify those involved.
“The issues of drug use are well known and my neighbourhood officers work incredibly hard, along with partners, to raise awareness of the dangers, in particular among younger people.
“Officers have been working closely with local schools and the youth offending team to raise awareness of the dangers and tackle the issue.
“I’d like to thank the members of the public who came forward and reported their concerns to us. Information passed to us from the public is absolutely crucial and makes a huge difference in helping us tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and I would urge people to continue to come forward and speak to us.
“My neighbourhood officers work incredibly hard to make our communities even safer and will continue to do so.”
The cannabis farm was found at Monkton Business Park just after 6pm on April 13. ■■Anyone with information about those responsible should contact Northumbria Police on 101 quoting reference 821 240417 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.