Lesson 1 - In-Person Tours

Hey, it’s Seth - I once walked into a “perfect” duplex on Zillow…
30 seconds later I found a $28k foundation nightmare and walked away.

Today you’re getting my exact 10-minute tour checklist that has saved me over $150k in disasters.

NEVER BUY BLIND — TOUR LIKE A PRO

Your 10-Minute Red-Flag Checklist (phone out, flashlight ready)

• Roof
  Red flag → curling shingles, dark patches, 25+ years old
  Green → under 20 years, clean edges

• Furnace
  Red flag → 20+ years old, rust, weird noises, dirty filter
  Green → under 15 years, clean, humming nicely

• Water Heater
  Red flag → 12+ years, rust at base, leaking
  Green → under 10 years, no rust

• Foundation / Basement
  Red flag → horizontal cracks > ⅛", bowing walls, water stains, musty smell
  Green → only hairline vertical cracks

• Windows
  Red flag → single-pane, fog between panes, broken seals
  Green → double-pane, open/close smooth

• Plumbing
  Red flag → slow drains, brown water, low pressure
  Green → strong pressure, clear water

• Electrical
  Red flag → knob-and-tube wiring, open junctions, flickering lights
  Green → 100+ amp panel, GFCIs in wet areas

• Smells
  Red flag → mold, heavy pet, cigarette, sewer
  Green → fresh or normal

• Neighboring units / tenants
  Red flag → hoarder piles, loud music, junk everywhere
  Green → clean, quiet, normal

• Street vibe
  Red flag → cars on blocks, bars on windows, trash everywhere
  Green → well-kept, kids playing, pride of ownership

My rule:
One single red flag that the owners wont fix = walk away.
I killed a $189k duplex because the roof was 28 years old — saved myself $20k instantly.

ACTION #1 — DO THIS WEEK

• Download the In-Person Tour Checklist (printable + phone version)

• Tour 5 duplexes this week — checklist open, flashlight on

  • Kill 4 → the 5th that survives is your winner

Never fall in love until the checklist says yes.

DOWNLOAD IN-PERSON + VIRTUAL TOUR CHECKLIST → (#bonus-vault)

Next lesson: its all about verification.

See you in Lesson 2!