Thank you all for the thoughtful and generous responses. I truly appreciate everyone taking the time to share personal experiences and insights.
A few clarifications and follow-up questions:
#Some houses we are seeing have both oil or radiator heat and central heating. We have already decided that we will not be buying any house with oil or radiator heating.
#I had assumed that radon or lead would be an automatic dealbreaker, but it sounds like they may be manageable issues rather than absolute stops.
#I was not very familiar with knob-and-tube wiring and its risks, so I will make sure to avoid homes that still have it. I will make sure they have circuit breaker, not the old fuse boxes.
#I will review when the plumbing, electrical, HVAC systems, and roof were last replaced.
#What if renovations were done only partially, and the inspectors are unable to see what was updated behind the walls?
# "Don't neglect the trees. My biggest single expense in my last house was the trees". What should I look for? trees with the disease? Is it very close to the building structure? Should I get an Arborist?
Ultimately, having an experienced inspector is essential for identifying potential issues.
Regarding renovations and permits:
It sounds like renovation and additional work need to be done properly and with the right permits. Is checking permit records with the city the right approach? If some work was done without permits, how can I best identify that?
About the final walkthrough:
Several of you mentioned not forgetting the final walkthrough, since that may be the only chance to see issues that were hidden by furniture or other items earlier.
Is it possible or customary to have a home inspector again to attend the final walkthrough before closing? How does that typically work, and what happens if we find something new at that stage?
Oil tanks:
Some of you mentioned abandoned oil tanks buried in the yard. If there is an abandoned oil tank, should I insist that the seller remove it? If the seller refuses, is that generally considered a dealbreaker, or is it better to negotiate for soil testing or remediation instead?
Cost of post-purchase fixes:
Someone suggested assuming about 20% of the purchase price to address issues discovered after moving in.
Twenty percent seems quite high to me. Is that estimate meant to be for costs incurred right after move-in, or spread out over time? If most of that cost is immediate, it may not be financially feasible for me.
Insurance questions:
Thank you for pointing out the importance of the length and condition of the sewer line and the option for dedicated sewer line insurance. I assume that if the sewer line was recently replaced with another durable material, such insurance may be less critical. Is that a fair assumption?
Are there any other specific add-on insurance policies that you would recommend I consider?
Thank you again for all your help and advice.
A few clarifications and follow-up questions:
#Some houses we are seeing have both oil or radiator heat and central heating. We have already decided that we will not be buying any house with oil or radiator heating.
#I had assumed that radon or lead would be an automatic dealbreaker, but it sounds like they may be manageable issues rather than absolute stops.
#I was not very familiar with knob-and-tube wiring and its risks, so I will make sure to avoid homes that still have it. I will make sure they have circuit breaker, not the old fuse boxes.
#I will review when the plumbing, electrical, HVAC systems, and roof were last replaced.
#What if renovations were done only partially, and the inspectors are unable to see what was updated behind the walls?
# "Don't neglect the trees. My biggest single expense in my last house was the trees". What should I look for? trees with the disease? Is it very close to the building structure? Should I get an Arborist?
Ultimately, having an experienced inspector is essential for identifying potential issues.
Regarding renovations and permits:
It sounds like renovation and additional work need to be done properly and with the right permits. Is checking permit records with the city the right approach? If some work was done without permits, how can I best identify that?
About the final walkthrough:
Several of you mentioned not forgetting the final walkthrough, since that may be the only chance to see issues that were hidden by furniture or other items earlier.
Is it possible or customary to have a home inspector again to attend the final walkthrough before closing? How does that typically work, and what happens if we find something new at that stage?
Oil tanks:
Some of you mentioned abandoned oil tanks buried in the yard. If there is an abandoned oil tank, should I insist that the seller remove it? If the seller refuses, is that generally considered a dealbreaker, or is it better to negotiate for soil testing or remediation instead?
Cost of post-purchase fixes:
Someone suggested assuming about 20% of the purchase price to address issues discovered after moving in.
Twenty percent seems quite high to me. Is that estimate meant to be for costs incurred right after move-in, or spread out over time? If most of that cost is immediate, it may not be financially feasible for me.
Insurance questions:
Thank you for pointing out the importance of the length and condition of the sewer line and the option for dedicated sewer line insurance. I assume that if the sewer line was recently replaced with another durable material, such insurance may be less critical. Is that a fair assumption?
Are there any other specific add-on insurance policies that you would recommend I consider?
Thank you again for all your help and advice.
Statistics: Posted by mschurner — Sat Feb 07, 2026 2:13 pm — Replies 39 — Views 2030