Recent media reports about the west end housing development located beside a pig slaughterhouse have likely sounded alarm bells for anyone purchasing a new home. The gist of this story is that many residents of this new housing development are upset about the proximity of a pig slaughterhouse to their newly built homes. Many residents of the development claim that the offloading and slaughtering of pigs is loud and emits a horrible odour.

The issue of the pig slaughterhouse is now a political one, as many residents have questioned how the City could allow a residential development to be built so close to a slaughterhouse. The councillor for the area is attempting to find some sort of solution for both the residents who have complained and the owner of the slaughterhouse. In the meantime, however, the residents remain disappointed that they were not made aware before they purchased their home of the proximity of the slaughterhouse. Anyone considering the purchase of a newly built home can learn from this situation.

It is trite to say, but three words sum up the monetary value attributable to real estate: location, location, location. Where your home is located is probably the greatest single determinant of the value of your home. Selling features such as “close to shopping, schools, public transit, parks and restaurants” help to market a multitude of homes. So what happens if your new home is located very close to a pig slaughterhouse? Obviously, this will greatly impact the value of your investment.

There are lessons to be learned from this unfortunate story. My guess is that most of the 352 purchasers bought their semi-detached home from a set of plans. It is likely that they took a brief look at the subdivision and its surrounding amenities, such as parks, schools and public transit. But how many considered the location of the lot in relation to that of the slaughterhouse? Many people do not take such a step before purchasing a home. While it is important to consider the interior layout of a home, it is equally important to look at the home’s physical location in relation to its surrounding environment.

For those who took these precautionary steps, it would have been difficult not to see and smell the slaughterhouse. This brings me to the second lesson, which is that you cannot rely on the words of the sales agent who sells you your home. Many residents of this development are alleging that salespeople gave them verbal assurances that the slaughterhouse would be closed once the houses were constructed. Some may have relied on such promises and are using them as grounds to seek monetary compensation from the builder. Builders’ Agreements of Purchase and Sale, however, invariably contain a clause which states that purchasers cannot rely on verbal promises or assurances made at any time during contractual negotiations. As a result, the only way to adequately protect yourself is to have such assurances added in writing to the contract.

Regardless of the outcome of this matter, future homebuyers should be aware of this story so they might avoid making a similar mistake in the future.