Guides for buyers
Make a smarter offer. Practical, no-fluff guides on what a house will really cost you — and how to prove it.
How much do common home repairs cost?
Typical 2026 price ranges for roofs, foundations, electrical, HVAC and more — and how to get the exact numbers for the house you're buying.
Read the guide →How to read a home inspection report
What the sections mean, which findings actually matter, and the red flags that should change your offer.
Read the guide →What a home's permit history reveals
How to read permits + a home's age to predict which systems are aging — before you ever pay for an inspection.
Read the guide →How to negotiate repairs after a home inspection
Turn an inspection report into a credit, a price cut, or a fix — with numbers a seller can't wave away.
Read the guide →Should you waive the home inspection?
Waiving can win a bid — and it can wreck you. How to de-risk if you're tempted.
Read the guide →How to spot a money pit before you buy
The patterns that separate a charming fixer from a financial sinkhole.
Read the guide →Buying an old house: what to expect (and why it's worth it)
Pre-war homes were built to last. Here's how to buy one with eyes open — and become a good steward of it.
Read the guide →Buying a vintage Chicago two-flat: a buyer's guide
Brick two-flats are Chicago's quiet superpower. What to check, what they cost to keep, and how to value the rental unit.
Read the guide →How home value comps work (and why old sales still count)
Comparable sales drive your offer. Here's how they work — and how to use a neighbor's decade-old sale without being misled.
Read the guide →A first-time buyer's guide to the home inspection
What an inspection is, what it costs, what it won't tell you, and how to act on it.
Read the guide →Your inspection found a Federal Pacific panel — how worried should you be?
What an FPE/Stab-Lok panel is, why inspectors flag it, and what it means for your offer.
Read the guide →Knob-and-tube wiring in your inspection: what it means
Whether knob-and-tube is a dealbreaker, what it costs to rewire, and how to negotiate.
Read the guide →Foundation cracks: which ones matter (and which don't)
How to tell a cosmetic hairline from structural settlement — and what each costs.
Read the guide →Inspector flagged an old roof — repair, replace, or ask for a credit?
How to read roof age and condition, and turn it into a negotiation.
Read the guide →Radon above 4 pCi/L: what it means and what to do
Understanding your radon result and the (very fixable) cost of mitigation.
Read the guide →Mold in your inspection report: serious or cosmetic?
How to tell surface mold from a moisture problem, and what remediation costs.
Read the guide →Asbestos or vermiculite mentioned — now what?
What these findings mean in older homes and how to handle them sensibly.
Read the guide →How many problems is normal in a home inspection?
Why a 50- or 100-item report usually doesn't mean the house is bad.
Read the guide →Know the house before you commit.
Start with just the address — free. See your home on the map with neighborhood stats, then choose your report.
Check your address — free →$20 Pre-Inspection · $99 Full Repair Report · a human reviews every report.