Have a look

Have a look

Most flippers lose weeks after close, not before. The basement looked "a little damp" on the walkthrough. Then demo starts and the slab is weeping.

Here's what I check before anyone writes an offer:

1. The waterline, not the smell. A musty basement can be a dirty carpet. A faint horizontal stain on the foundation wall is history. Measure from the slab. If it's above 4 inches, assume hydrostatic pressure, not a one-time flood.

2. Efflorescence on the interior face. White, chalky salt on the block means water is moving through the wall, not sitting on it. Paint and a dehumidifier will not stop that. You'll be ripping that wall open during rehab.

3. The window wells and the grade. If the soil slopes toward the house, every rain event is a test. I see more "mystery leaks" from poorly graded walkouts than from failed membranes.

4. The sump that isn't running. A dry pit during a wet week is not a good sign. It often means the pump is dead or the pit was never tied into a real drain. Ask the seller when it last discharged. If they don't know, budget for a system, not a $40 pump.

If you're under contract on a wet house and need a written scope this week, that's the inspection we sell. $99, credited toward the job.