Dream Home or Money Pit? What a Home Inspection Can Tell You

A beautiful open house doesn’t tell the whole story. In this episode, host Andrew Orr sits down with Bay Area home inspector Brian Cogley to explore what buyers should know before committing to a Bay Area home; from making sense of inspection findings to understanding potential repair costs. Plus, a practical lightning round to help you look beyond the fresh paint and ask better questions. Episode Chapters 00:00- Welcome and Guest Intro 02:32- What a Home Inspector Actually Does 08:30- Biggest Red Flags to Fear 30:10- Should Buyers Hire Their Own Inspector? 36:05- Repair Cost Lightning Round 40:38- Closing and Takeaways About the Guest Brian Cogley has been inspecting Bay Area homes since 2004. A California licensed general contractor and American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) Certified Inspector, he also holds certifications in residential building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspection. Brian served four years as president of Golden Gate ASHI and has taught building inspection and maintenance classes to Native American and public housing authorities across the country. He is also featured on the cover and in the introduction of The Complete Guide to Home Inspection. Resources and Links • Cogley Property Inspections (https://cogleyinspections.com/) — Brian's company website and contact information Music:  • "Outside the Lines," courtesy of Riverside's license-free music library • “Extreme Dream” courtesy of Riverside’s license-free music library Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: QZ3W1OU2CTYNZM22, 7LDWX6J2FEICWHN0 Have a question, topic idea, or story to share? Visit HouseCallSF.com (https://housecallsf.com) and contact us. If you found the episode helpful, please follow HouseCall SF and share it with someone navigating Bay Area homeownership. Disclaimer HouseCall SF is for general educational purposes only and does not provide legal, tax, financial, lending, or real estate advice. Andrew Orr holds a California real estate salesperson license but does not provide brokerage services through this podcast or in any other context. Nothing discussed herein or in any HouseCall SF production creates an agency, fiduciary, or other relationship. The views expressed herein are solely those of Andrew Orr, HouseCall SF, and its guests, and do not represent the views of other individual, entity, or institution. Please verify any information and consult a qualified real estate professional before making any real estate decisions.