What can you spot before you visit?
You don't always need to be in the house to see the obvious problems. The listing photos, street view and a map will show the low-hanging fruit:
- A sagging roof line. A ridge or eaves that dip rather than run straight can point to structural issues or an old, tired roof.
- Obvious moisture. Stains on ceilings or walls, or bubbling paint, that the photographer didn't manage to hide.
- Cracks. In the foundation, the brick or the walls, especially ones that are wide or run on a diagonal.
- Location. A busy corner lot, or a backyard that faces industrial land, a rail line or a major road. These affect your daily life and, later, your resale value.
A red flag from the listing isn't necessarily a reason to walk away. It tells us where to look hardest once we're inside.
What does the listing history tell you?
Listings come with their own vocabulary, and some phrases hint at certain things. But wording is just wording. We pay more attention to the record, because it's harder to dress up:
- Many price drops. Something may be putting buyers off, whether it's the price, the condition or something they found during their own due diligence.
- The same house sold several times in a short period. Owners rarely sell quickly without a reason. We want to know what it is.
- Repeated relistings. A house that keeps coming off the market and back on can be a sign that deals keep falling apart.
Some words in a listing do carry real weight, because they change the legal terms of the sale:
- "Sold in as-is condition." The seller is making no promises about the condition of the property. Whatever you find after closing is yours to deal with.
- "Power of sale." The lender, not the owner, is selling the home after a mortgage default. The lender usually knows little about the property, makes no promises about it, and sells on its own terms.
Neither is a reason to avoid a house. Both are reasons to do additional due diligence for proper risk management, before you offer, not after.
Where do you look during a walkthrough?
I work from the big picture down to the details. What I see outside tells me what to look for inside.
Outside first. I look at the roof lines, the downspouts and the grading around the house, for any sign that water isn't being carried away properly. If water management outside looks wrong, I know I'll need to look harder for its effects inside.
Then the smell. The first thing I notice when I step inside is how the house smells. A musty smell often gives away a water problem before you can see one.
Then the places where problems show first:
- Ceilings, corners, and around doors and windows. These are where cracks most typically appear when a house is moving or settling.
- Basement corners. Air circulates least in the corners, so moisture builds up there first, and that's usually where mould starts to grow.
None of these observations replaces a home inspection. But together they give us a good idea of the house before you decide whether to spend the money on one.
Why does the basement tell you the most?
More than any other floor, the basement is where you learn what a house is really made of. The furnace or boiler is usually there, along with most of the big mechanicals, and in many houses the bones are on display.
An unfinished basement, with the foundation walls and ceiling exposed, is the most revealing. There, we can see:
- The electrical: where it runs, what type of wiring it is, any junction boxes, and any remaining knob-and-tube.
- The plumbing: the supply lines and the drain stacks, and what material they're made of.
- The structure: whether the joists are intact, or have been cut, notched or badly repaired.
- The mechanicals: the furnace or boiler, the water heater and the other systems that keep the house running.
A finished basement limits what we can see. Even then, enough of the electrical and plumbing is usually exposed somewhere, in a utility room or behind an access panel, to give us a much better idea of the house.
Can you rely on the seller's home inspection?
A pre-listing inspection paid for by the seller can be very handy. But it's a starting point, not a substitute for your own judgement. We always compare what's in the report with what's in the house, and make sure the two line up and pass the smell test.
There's also the question of who the inspector works for. The seller paid for the inspection, so the inspector's contract is with the seller, not with you. If the inspector made a mistake, honest or otherwise, that's between the seller and the inspector. As the buyer, you have no contractual relationship with them.
Recently, I helped clients buy a house in Midtown Toronto that came with a seller-provided inspection. It had been done by an inspector from Port Perry, about two hours away. I asked myself why a Port Perry inspector would be inspecting a Toronto home. It didn't pass the smell test, so we ordered our own inspection. It found discrepancies with the seller's report, and those gave my clients more negotiating leverage.
Frequently asked questions
What does "as is" mean in an Ontario listing? It means the seller is making no promises about the property's condition, and you accept it as it stands on closing. It's common in estate sales and with properties that need a lot of work. An inspection before you commit matters even more.
What is a power of sale, and is it a good deal? A power of sale is when a lender sells a home after the owner defaults on the mortgage. The price can be attractive, but it's a more complex process with elevated risk exposure. The lender usually knows little about the property, makes no promises about it, and sells on its own terms. Some of these risks are manageable with good due diligence. Others may be a total coin flip.
Is a house with many price drops a bad buy? Not necessarily. Sometimes it was simply overpriced at the start. But repeated drops, relistings or quick resales are worth looking into, because the reason matters.
Why does a musty smell matter? It's often the first sign of a moisture problem, before any stain or mould is visible. It tells us to look closely at the basement, the corners and anywhere water could get in.
Do I still need a home inspection if my agent checks for red flags? Yes. A walkthrough tells us where problems are likely and helps you decide whether a house is worth pursuing. A qualified inspector confirms the condition of the structure and the systems.
