Oswaldo Freeman: checking an older Salt Lake home

Start a work-history file

Write down the alterations that matter to the purchase: a changed floor plan, finished basement, updated systems or added living area. Ask the seller what was done and what records exist. Keep descriptions, dates, permits and invoices together so a promising remodel can be considered alongside its documented history.

Salt Lake City Building Services directs readers to its online portal for public permit and inspection records from 1979 onward. Search the specific address and review inspection results. If a record is missing or unclear, ask Building Services how to investigate it. An absence in one search is a question to resolve, not a complete compliance finding.

Give the inspector the questions that worry you

Arrange an independent inspection early and share the work-history questions before the appointment. Discuss what the inspection includes and what may require a specialist. Depending on the property, the conversation might include drainage, roof condition, electrical work, heating equipment or the sewer connection. The appropriate scope comes from the property and the qualified professional.

CFPB guidance distinguishes the physical inspection from an appraisal and encourages allowing time for additional investigation. Attend if you can and ask the inspector to explain material findings. Turn the report into a follow-up list with a responsible person and an estimate or answer still needed, rather than treating its page count as the decision.

Handle environmental information specifically

For radon, obtain actual reports, including when and where testing occurred. Utah DEQ explains why another home’s result cannot establish the level in this home. Discuss appropriate testing with a qualified provider, especially when the intended living space differs from the area covered by an existing report.

For most pre-1978 housing, EPA’s lead-disclosure guidance provides another relevant starting point. Review available information and seek qualified advice for planned work that may disturb painted surfaces. These checks serve different purposes; a general inspection or a newly painted interior does not answer every environmental question.

Bring the findings back to Oswaldo

Put the signed purchase agreement’s deadlines beside the investigation list. Ask Oswaldo which seller responses, further evaluations or proposed terms need discussion before those dates. A repair request should identify the issue and the intended resolution clearly, with lender requirements or specialist findings handled by the appropriate professional.

For your older Salt Lake City home search, request a concise decision record: what was disclosed, what the records show, what the inspection found and what remains unanswered. Oswaldo’s contact profile is available for that conversation. The aim is a property-specific next step, with the evidence available while there is still time to use it.

Bring a useful question list

• Collect the seller’s work history and search the actual city permit record.
• Ask an independent inspector about scope and any specialist follow-up.
• Review radon reports and applicable lead information separately.
• Track findings, requests and responses against the signed contract’s deadlines.