The First 60 Seconds of a Home Inspection

What I Notice Before I Even Walk Inside

Home Inspector Evaluates Key Exterior Features in the First 60 Seconds: The Midwest Inspect Way Ensures Thorough and Reliable Assessments Before Entering.

Most people assume a home inspection begins when I enter the front door.

It doesn't.

In reality, I'm already making observations before I even get out of the truck.

As a home inspector with Midwest Inspect, the first 60 seconds often tell me a surprising amount about a property.

Now before homeowners panic...

This isn't about judging.

I'm not grading landscaping choices.

I'm not criticizing lawn ornaments.

And I'm definitely not reporting your inflatable Christmas decorations still standing in June.

But homes leave clues.

Lots of clues.

And many of them are visible before I ever step foot inside.

Let's take a walk from the street to the front door.

🌧 First Thing: Where Does the Water Go?

If home inspectors had a favorite question, this might be it:

"Where does the water go?"

Water is Public Enemy #1 for houses.

So one of the first things I notice is grading.

Does the yard slope away from the home?

Or does it look like every rainstorm is being personally invited into the basement?

Poor grading can contribute to:

• foundation moisture

• basement seepage

• settlement concerns

• crawlspace problems

You'd be amazed how many expensive issues begin with water simply going the wrong direction.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

The house should repel water, not attract it.

🏠 The Roof Starts Talking Immediately

Before I ever touch a ladder, the roof is already telling a story.

I'm looking for:

• curling shingles

• missing shingles

• uneven areas

• moss growth

• staining

• aging materials

An older roof isn't automatically a problem.

But roofs age like pickup trucks.

Some look great at 20 years old.

Others look exhausted at 12.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

The roof may be the home's hat, but it's also one of its most expensive accessories.

🌳 Vegetation Never Lies

Landscaping tells me a lot.

Overgrown shrubs touching siding?

Tree limbs scraping the roof?

Vines climbing exterior walls?

Those aren't just landscaping decisions.

They're maintenance clues.

Vegetation that's too close to the home can contribute to:

• moisture retention

• pest activity

• siding damage

• roof deterioration

I've seen bushes so large they appeared to be actively swallowing the house.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

Your landscaping should frame the home, not attempt to consume it.

🚗 The Driveway Is Usually Giving Away Secrets

Concrete has a way of telling the truth.

Cracks.

Settlement.

Drainage patterns.

Surface deterioration.

The driveway often provides clues about:

• drainage issues

• freeze-thaw damage

• soil movement

• overall maintenance habits

In Illinois, concrete spends half the year fighting winter.

Sometimes winter wins.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

Concrete remembers every bad drainage decision ever made.

🪟 Windows Tell Stories

Before I get inside, I'm already scanning windows.

I'm looking for:

• failed seals

• deteriorated trim

• peeling paint

• moisture damage

• caulking issues

Windows are often one of the first places where deferred maintenance starts to show itself.

And deferred maintenance has a way of spreading.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

A little peeling paint today can become a much bigger repair tomorrow.

🧹 The Maintenance Clues

Here's something many homeowners don't realize.

The little things often reveal the big things.

A home with:

• clean gutters

• maintained landscaping

• repaired trim

• functioning downspouts

often suggests an owner who pays attention.

Meanwhile, if I see:

• gutters hanging off the house

• vegetation growing from gutters

• missing downspout extensions

• visible neglect

it tells me I should probably look a little closer everywhere else.

Not always.

But often.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

Homes tend to reflect the habits of the people maintaining them.

🐿 The Wildlife Evidence

Every inspector notices it.

Woodpecker holes.

Animal entry points.

Chewed trim.

Burrows near foundations.

Evidence of wildlife activity can reveal:

• exterior vulnerabilities

• maintenance concerns

• hidden damage

And yes...

The squirrels usually believe they own the property.

You're just renting from them.

🚩 The "Fresh Paint" Effect

Fresh paint isn't bad.

In fact, sometimes it's great.

But when absolutely everything has been freshly painted?

I'm naturally curious.

Why?

Because paint can make things look better.

It cannot make problems disappear.

A good inspector isn't distracted by a fresh coat of paint.

We're interested in what's underneath.

Midwest Inspector Translation:

Paint is a finish, not a repair.

The Big Question

The truth is, I'm not looking for one giant issue in the first 60 seconds.

I'm looking for patterns.

Because homes communicate.

Sometimes they're saying:

"I've been well maintained."

Other times they're saying:

"You may want to keep that flashlight handy."

The first minute often sets the tone for the rest of the inspection.

Final Thoughts

One of the things I love about home inspections is that every house has a personality.

Some homes greet you with confidence.

Some greet you with questions.

And some greet you with a gutter growing a small tree.

The first 60 seconds won't tell me everything about a home.

But they often tell me where to start looking.

Because long before I inspect the furnace, the attic, or the electrical panel...

The house has already started introducing itself.

And if you know how to listen, it has a lot to say.

Inspect Today. Protect Tomorrow.

— Sean Evans, CPI

Founder of Midwest Inspect