In late 2023, it became apparent that my family would be moving from Iowa to Missouri before the end of the year. I knew that moving during the holidays would be a nightmarish endeavor. But the upside was house hunting. Before any of the packing and unpacking happened, we’d get to spend several days searching for the perfect home.
We started online. Our realtor entered criteria into a database, and we clicked through dozens of listings, noting the ones we did and didn’t like. In November, we got to see our top picks in person. Our shortlist was competitive; we would’ve been pleased with any of our top choices. But we felt drawn to a colonial-style two-story tucked away on a mini cul-de-sac.
The sellers had recently wrapped up an extensive renovation. The kitchen was sparkling, the master bathroom vanity was new, and the sitting room had been transformed into a library with an incredible built-in bookcase. We were all in love with the house and immediately saw ourselves living there.
Then came the inspection report.
