Home Inspection Checklist
The goal isn't a perfect house - it's the one issue that changes the decision. on the Eastside, that's usually water, slope, or an older system.
Inspection and Condition
What this article helps you decide
> A the Eastside inspection window is short and the report is long. Know which findings actually change price or plans here - drainage on a slope, crawlspace moisture, older furnace/roof/wiring, and the side sewer - so you're not lost in cosmetic noise.
Work through the decision in order
Water & slope (the decision-changers here)
Grading and drainage on the slope to the lake; downspout discharge. Crawlspace moisture, standing water, vapor barrier (near-lake water table).
Older-home systems
Furnace/heat pump age; single-pane windows; electrical panel and any knob-and-tube/old wiring; plumbing material and shutoffs. Side sewer (older clay/concrete - scope it; see M40).
Safety & the rest
Smoke/CO, decks/railings, chimney; insulation; past water damage.
Article worksheet · browser private
Home Inspection Checklist
Use the worksheet without a form. Keep your notes in this browser, then bring the live facts into a Real Estate Review if the decision still matters.
Questions about Home Inspection Checklist
Clear answers first. If one question changes the deal, bring it into the review before you move money.
Q1What findings on an inspection report actually change the deal here?+
Drainage and slope, crawlspace moisture, older systems (furnace, roof, wiring), and the side sewer. Those move real money; most of the report is normal-for-the-age cosmetic noise you shouldn't renegotiate.
Q2How do I tell "normal for the age" from "renegotiate this"?+
Ask the inspector to rank the top three issues and flag what's expected for the home's age versus a genuine concern. Age-appropriate wear is maintenance; safety, water reaching the structure, and near-term system failure are the negotiables.
Q3Should I get a general inspection or specialists?+
Start with the general inspection, then send anything it flags — drainage, structural, sewer, roof — to the specialist while the contingency is open. The generalist finds symptoms; the specialist prices the fix you'll actually negotiate on.
Q4What's unique to inspect on a slope lot near water?+
Grading and downspout discharge, crawlspace moisture and vapor barrier (high water table), retaining walls, and roof or north-slope moss. These are the local decision-changers a generic checklist skips.
Q5Why does the side sewer matter so much on older homes?+
Because a side-sewer repair runs into five figures and nothing in a walkthrough reveals it. On older clay or concrete lines with mature trees, a scope is cheap insurance — put it on the inspection order, not the wish list.
Q6I have a long report — how do I decide what to do?+
Sort into decision-changers versus cosmetic, get estimates on the big items, then decide renegotiate, accept, or walk. Turning the PDF into that three-way call is the point of a Real Estate Review.
Apply the article to the live decision.
Want to separate "normal for the age" from "renegotiate this" on a the Eastside report? That's a Real Estate Review.
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