Picking up a copy of all building permits for the house could give you an indication of the numbers of significant repairs and renovations. Getting the names of architects and construction firms who've worked on the house would be a good idea if only because you might not want to hire those businesses to evaluate their own prior work.

Consider talking with your bankers and see if they can recommend a home inspection expert.

Cracks in the stucco? Have you crawled beneath the home to confirm that it at least appears to have an appropriate footing and foundation for all exterior walls; if not, do so before hiring an engineer.

You should also take a look at the attic and see if there is any indication of leak problems and or mold or water damage from older leak problems -- give it the sniff test, too.

You might also check deed records for owners before the current owner and have a conversation with them about your concerns, if possible.

My first inclination is to suggest that, unless you have a large repair budget, you should follow your instincts to not trust this find without a pro giving it a full check.

Thanks, Suezbell! I am waiting for the building permit and architectural plans pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), from the records department, and understand that the plans were carried out by a licensed contractor. (In my jurisdiction just one day of training provides a class "C" license.) Thanks for confirming my instincts about this home -- it's worth a very close look, and even that might not be enough! I appreciate your idea about looking for the obvious before hiring a pro, and getting a list of pros who worked on a home before hiring them to inspect. Contacting other owners is a good idea. Sometimes it's just common sense. Everyone should ask a licensed inspector to affirm that they have no conflict of interest, but it's not something you think about until after learning about a conflict of interest that should have been avoided, after the fact, even if you are a licensed professional like me who is tasked with avoiding even the appearance of a conflict.

What I did do is look for is the name of someone who has lived in the neighborhood -- where elementary schools are built for 500-600 students -- and found grandparents whose daughter lives in the same neighborhood, and whose grandchildren attend the same school as their mother. That said a lot to me about the neighborhood, one where there are three times as many homes in foreclosure as homes available for market sale -- I already knew the town was one where people return to raise their children, but to the same school? That's impressive. Maybe this is the right neighborhood, maybe this is the right house. Again, thanks.

And thanks! apple_pie_order -- had not thought about asking the neighbors but it is a corner lot, and there is a lot of asphalt with the two streets -- and a new asphalt driveway, too.

One after thought: Especially since this is a corner lot, check the plats carefully and know the location of the road right of way as well as any utility easements. If you're not careful, you could well end up "owning" and paying for a lot more acreage than you can actually use and it can make a huge difference when you're trying to work on landscaping. Having that info can also be a tool to negotiate a lower price.

Of course, I should have thought of that, too - I just assumed the fence was on the lot line, but it's probably been there for a while, and if it is not on the lot line, no one cares. And since this is a post WWII plat, I did assume that the utility easements were from the main street, but did not consider the easements across the lot for the adjacent subdivision that was built 15-20 years later. Another issue is the septic field -- this is a larger lot -- 1/3 acre, and in this area it is not uncommon to have a septic field on a lot that is only 1/4 acre. I should also check the location of the septic fields for the adjacent lots -- and thanks for that tip about drainage -- that's a nice way to enter into a more detailed question in advance of any interaction, post purchase, regarding odors from a neighboring septic field that is overdue for servicing.

What I have done is to verify the square footage in the listing against the reports in the assessor's records; I was amazed that there is a wide variation in how realtors communicate square footage -- one will add in patios, garages, decks, even porches as living space, while another will only use the interior space in the assessor records. This makes a difference if you are comparing houses; the dimensions provided by the realtor are rarely questioned, and including exterior spaces in the interior dimension can alter the cost per square foot by ten to fifteen percent. A "2000" square foot home is really more like 1700, after you remove the deck, porch, patio, etc., and the cost per square foot is, for example, closer to $250 than $200.

The assessor's records also provide the name of the owner of record -- the realtor has this information, but it is helpful for the buyer to have it, too. From this name, one can verify quickly the age of the seller -- and, from the photos, if the seller has children, why are they moving? Or if this is advertised as "a good starter home", why is their still a crib in one bedroom? Although some people think this analysis is intrusive, I think it is common sense to verify the ad, and to learn what you can from photos. If there are ceiling fans, and CAC, it might not work well. And if you feel comfortable talking to the neighbors on a Saturday morning, before or after you find your dream home, ask them how well they like the neighborhood, the school, the commute.

Thanks!! Next stop, Planning Department.