Property Walk-Through Checklist

Start outside, before you're inside talking. Walk all the way around the house.

Roof: curling or missing shingles, sagging, moss and patched spots. Gutters and drainage: does the ground slope away from the house, or toward it? Foundation: cracks, bowing walls and gaps at the corners. Siding and trim: rot, holes and peeling paint. Windows: broken glass, rotted frames and fogged double panes. Driveway, walks and steps: heaved or crumbling concrete. Also look at the garage, fence, trees over the roof, and whether the house is on a septic system or city sewer.

Go room by room in the same order every time, so you don't skip anything. Look up, down and around.

Look for water stains on ceilings, soft spots in floors, cracks over doors and windows, doors that won't close, and smells like mold, pets or sewer. In the kitchen and baths, check cabinets, counters, floors, and under the sinks for leaks. Run a faucet and flush a toilet if the seller says it's OK.

Write each repair down as you go, and say it out loud in a normal way: "Ceiling stain here, I'll note it." It keeps you honest, and your offer won't surprise the seller later.

The systems are where the big repair costs hide. You're not testing them. You're getting an age and a condition.

Heating and cooling: find the data label on the furnace and AC. Many show a manufacture date, or a serial number that encodes one. Water heater: same thing, from the label. Electrical: look at the panel with the cover on. Note its size, any burn marks and anything that looks unusual, and let an electrician judge it. Plumbing: note the pipe types you can see and any leaks. Attic, basement and crawl space: water, sagging, insulation and signs of pests.

Don't take apart anything, open the electrical panel or go anywhere that feels unsafe. A buyer's inspector or contractor can do that later.

Some problems change who can fix them and what it costs. Note them so your rehab estimate and your buyer aren't surprised.

Lead paint. The EPA says about three-quarters of U.S. homes built before the federal ban on lead paint for homes still have some. If the house is that old, assume lead paint until it's tested. Paid renovation work that disturbs paint in those homes falls under the EPA's lead renovation rule, which requires certified firms. Asbestos can be in old floor tiles, pipe wrap and siding. Don't disturb it. Mold: the EPA says an area larger than about 10 square feet calls for its guidance on bigger cleanups. Structure: sagging floors, big foundation cracks and soft roof decks need a pro.

You're not diagnosing anything here. You're writing down what a buyer will ask about.

With the seller's OK, take the photo list from the table above. Shoot in landscape, with the lights on and the blinds open. Take a short video walking through the main rooms too. It answers a lot of buyer questions.

Name the files by room when you get home. You'll use them for your rehab estimate in Lesson 11 and your deal sheet in Lesson 15.

Sit back down and go over what you saw. Ask if you missed anything. Then tell the seller what happens next.

If your numbers are ready, you can make your offer at the table. Lesson 13 covers how. If you need to price the repairs first, say so, and set a time to come back or call, ideally within a day or two. Don't leave without a next step on the calendar.