six weeks and $20,000.00 later

This home was closed up tight for months with all the utilities off while going through the repo process. The problems arose when the water was turned back on and the faulty laundry valve showed up running water to the street from the second floor. All the carpet was removed and then closed up again. Where exactly was the water to go? A wet crawl space and moisture wicking up the walls was a recipe for mold. Today it's the most impressive blooms the mold inspector has seen in some time.
Note: any time a home is closed up the various mechanical items can deteriorate seriously, this ball valve was a minor item untill it dried out.

Victorian charm, redwood rott

These homes stand the test of time but like anything you have to be dilligent with the caulking paint and maintenance. Redwood is great but it rotts like any other wood if it's in constant exposure to water. Still: 120 years is a feat of defiance against the elements. This home has been moved so some of what you see is new wood.

Be sure you test the plumbing on a REO

I recently did an inspection for a client in Vallejo looking to buy an vacant REO (bank foreclosure). Initially the water was off but we had the bank turn on all the utilities to be sure we inspected all systems possible. Good thing we did, the furnace igniter was burnt out and the copper pipes in the crawl space had been removed for the scrap value.
In the end the bank revised their position of : "no adjustments were available because of the bargain offered up front".
An inspection costing $300 to $400. can easily save you 10 to 20 times that amount in grief and hard earned cash on any property by being sure you know what you have to work with.

Napa inspection

Thank you so much for the timely and thorough inspection! It has been a pleasure working with you! Jenny H. Realtor in Napa

Welcome to my blog:

This site is dedicated to the adventurous homeowner. We have all heard of the money pit that ate someones paycheck endlessly, this site is an attempt to help to define some of the potential problems before you start dumping money into properties. Today's market is full of bank owned properties that have had little or no regular maintenance for the last few years. Caution is advised but an educated risk at this point could prove very profitable five yours down the road.
If you have any questions or comments to share please feel free to ask, if I don't have an answer for you I can get one from a reputable source. Photo's are a good place to start.