Adventures in Home Buying

Jim Troth
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Join Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Tune in for captivating discussions with top home inspectors, real estate pros, and service companies who share their expertise on what makes a home a smart buy. Want to learn how to avoid costly repairs or choose the right lender? We've got you covered. Visit our website at [YourWebsiteHere] for exclusive resources, episode extras, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at [YourContactInfo] to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  1. 5d ago

    Home Inspectors Help Even When You Stay Put

    A home inspector isn’t just the person you call the week you buy a house. Lately we’re seeing homeowners bring us back years later for maintenance inspections, and honestly, it makes a lot of sense. Houses change, weather hits hard, and one small water issue can cascade into mold, rot, and expensive repairs if nobody catches it early. We talk through what’s driving this trend in Ohio and what we’re finding on site: contractor follow ups when a remodeling job feels “off,” roof only inspections, and why new construction inspections matter more than ever. We also dig into the uncomfortable stuff, like mold showing up in new builds and how indoor air quality concerns are pushing people to test sooner. Pre drywall inspections come up for a reason: fixing mistakes behind finished walls is where costs explode. We also connect the dots to the market. With interest rates and a slowdown in sales, more people are choosing to fix up the home they already own instead of moving, which makes a proactive home inspection strategy even more valuable. If you’re investing in siding, roofing, drainage, or an addition, an independent inspection can help protect your biggest asset and your health. Subscribe for more practical home inspection advice, share this with a homeowner who’s mid remodel, and leave a review with the one home issue you want us to tackle next. What project are you debating right now? Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  2. Sep 23

    Who Owns Your Inspection Data After Closing

    Your agent hands you one home inspector’s name and says, “Use this person.” Do you trust it, or do you treat it like a flashing warning sign? We dig into Ohio real estate ethics and the licensing rule that matters more than most buyers realise: agents do not have to recommend inspectors, but if they do, they must give at least three names. That one detail can protect you from being steered toward a “deal-friendly” inspection that keeps the transaction smooth while leaving you with costly surprises after closing. We unpack a real situation where a homeowner reached out nearly a year later, frustrated by an inspection report that seemed to miss major problems, including serious roof concerns. We talk about what a professional home inspection report should include, what Ohio standards require, and why missing basics like licence information, panel access notes, or crawl space coverage should make you pause. We also share a cautionary story about crawl space findings and what can happen when important information is not properly disclosed. Then we go a level deeper into modern risk: data privacy. Where does your contact information go after you book? Can inspection scheduling software or report platforms share details that lead to unwanted marketing or other downstream consequences? We lay out the exact questions we’d ask before hiring any home inspector and the simple research steps that help you protect both your home purchase and your personal data. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a first-time buyer, and leave us a review with the biggest red flag you’ve seen during a home inspection. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  3. Sep 16

    Indoor Air Quality Risks In New Construction Homes

    That moment when you finally move into a brand-new house and then start feeling worse is deeply confusing. We’ve seen it enough to say it out loud: a new build can absolutely have indoor air quality problems, even when the land checks out and the paperwork looks clean. We start by revisiting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and why knowing the property’s history matters, then we pivot to what happens when the Phase I shows no red flags but your body does.  We dig into off-gassing and the “new house smell” problem: VOCs and formaldehyde released from man-made materials like foam mattresses, fiberglass insulation, vinyl or laminate flooring, composite wood, paints, stains, and adhesives. We share why heat and closed-up spaces make exposure worse, and why some products can impact sensitive people fast. We also talk about engineered floor systems and fire-protective coatings, not to scare you, but to help you understand where the chemical load can come from in modern construction.  Then we hit the other major source of sickness in new construction: mold and moisture. Fresh lumber often arrives wet, basements stay humid, and bad cleanup choices can turn a small issue into a big one. We explain why power washing a basement is a terrible idea, what “drying it out” actually means, and the practical tools that help like air movers and a dehumidifier set around 40 to 45 percent.  If you want to protect your health and your investment, listen through and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who just moved, and leave a review with your biggest new-build question. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  4. Sep 10

    New Homes With Hidden Hazards

    A brand new house can still come with hidden health risks, and we’re seeing it first-hand. Jim and Laura talk through several newer-home inspections where “everything should be fine” turns into real concerns: mold, indoor air quality complaints, and chemical exposure questions that show up even in houses less than a year old. If you’ve ever assumed new construction means clean air and safe materials, this conversation will challenge that assumption in a practical way. We dig into why modern homes can amplify problems, from off-gassing VOCs and formaldehyde to tight construction that traps pollutants indoors. Then we widen the lens to something most buyers never ask about: the land itself. Many developments are built on old farmland or previously used property, and that history can include pesticides, fuel storage, dumping, or industrial activity that doesn’t appear in the pretty model home. When you live on that land 24/7, especially with kids playing in the dirt, the stakes get real. To make this actionable, we explain Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments in plain English. Phase I is the research and site visit that looks for red flags in records and databases; Phase II is when sampling happens to confirm what’s actually in the soil, soil gas, or water. We also talk about why banks often require this on commercial projects, why it may not happen for single-family builds, and the exact question we want you asking your builder before you sign. If you’re shopping new construction, share this with a friend who’s house hunting, subscribe for more straight-talk home inspection guidance, and leave a review with the one “new home” question you wish more buyers would ask. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  5. Sep 2

    Bats In The Attic

    You hear rustling in the attic and suddenly you are Googling “bat removal” at midnight. The tricky part is the fix is not just about sealing gaps, it is about Ohio law, protected species, and doing exclusion the right way so you do not trap animals inside your home. We walk through the real timeline that matters for homeowners and sellers: the legal windows to remove or exclude bats from a building in Ohio (April 1 to May 15, and August 1 to October 14), plus what changes after October 15 when hibernation season begins. We also explain the practical method pros use, sealing every entry point except one exit so bats can leave but cannot get back in. Then we get blunt about the health side of home inspections: bat guano, cleanup costs, and the risk of histoplasmosis from airborne contamination when droppings are disturbed. Next, we shift to chimney swifts, the protected birds that can live in chimneys from early April through late October. If we find them during a home inspection, a chimney scope may need to stop immediately because chimney swifts are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We cover what that means for scheduling chimney work, how a proper chimney cap and screen can prevent nesting, and even the idea of building a chimney swift tower as an alternative habitat. Finally, we share a weird but useful homeowner clue: spiders may be attracted to mercaptan, the odor added to natural gas, and can clog gas fireplace pilot openings, and heavy spider activity can also hint at moisture issues. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a homeowner who is hearing “mystery attic noises”, and leave a review so more people can find practical home inspection advice. What is the strangest animal or pest surprise you have had in a house? Chimney Swifts: An Introduction - Columbus Audubon Bats in Buildings | Ohio Department of Natural Resources Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  6. Aug 27

    Cameras Can Kill A Home Offer

    If you want top dollar for your home, there’s a modern “feature” that might be working against you: security cameras. We dig into a July 2026 LendingTree study and the surprising stats behind it, including how many sellers keep recording devices active during showings and how many buyers feel uneasy enough to change their behavior, leave early, or skip making an offer. When buyers can’t relax, they stop picturing their life in the space, and that can quietly kill momentum on a listing. We also get practical about the real estate privacy and recording issues that come with smart doorbells, interior cameras, and audio. Laws vary by state, and we talk through the common one-party consent framing in Ohio and why real estate negotiations and home inspections create extra ethical and legal gray areas. Even the perception of being monitored can poison trust, and trust is a key ingredient in strong offers and smooth negotiations. Then we lay out simple, seller-friendly fixes that don’t require ripping out hardwired systems: turn devices off, cover the lens, and leave a clear note so buyers and inspectors know they can speak freely. We also share tips for buyers and agents on where to have budget and offer-strategy conversations, especially around Ring-style doorbells that may pick up more than you think. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share with a friend who’s selling, and leave a quick review so more people can avoid the camera mistake that costs real money. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  7. Aug 18

    Sniff Test Beats Soap Bubbles

    If you think gas leaks are rare, this conversation might change how you walk into your next showing. We’re Jim and Laura, and we’re sharing what we see week after week during home inspections: loose fittings, tiny leaks you’d never notice, and the occasional situation where you can smell gas immediately. We talk through the realities of natural gas and propane in typical homes, why leaks happen so often, and what the findings usually mean for cost and repair.  We also explain the tools and methods behind gas leak detection. Soap-bubble checks can work, but they can miss small leaks or the exact location of the problem. A combustible gas detector lets us trace lines and fittings by “sniffing” the air, which is why an inspection can uncover issues even when someone else has already looked. Then we give you a simple severity framework: leaks only detectable right at the joint, leaks you can smell in a mechanical room, and the big red flag scenario where you smell gas at the front door and should avoid switches and sparks.  From there we connect the dots to another “gas” problem that gets misunderstood: radon. Radon testing and radon mitigation systems are a separate safety topic, and we’ve seen active systems fail due to bad installs, fan problems, or sump pit configuration issues that keep the system from pulling properly. If you want practical home safety guidance that helps you stay calm and make smart calls during an inspection, you’ll get it here. Subscribe, share this with a homebuyer you know, and leave a review with your biggest question about gas leaks or radon. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

  8. Aug 12

    You Should Never Sign A Contract That Blocks Inspections

    A brand new house can still be built wrong, and we are seeing it more often than most buyers expect. Jim and Laura share what shows up on real new construction inspections and why choosing the right home builder matters as much as your floor plan, finishes, or lender. If you are building a house, buying a new build, or closing on a recently completed home, this conversation gives you practical ways to reduce risk before you sign anything. We break down one of the biggest warning signs: a builder who subcontracts everything with no consistent crew and no real supervision. When crews change constantly, accountability slips, fixes do not get finished, and problems repeat across multiple visits. We also talk about the builder model that tends to work better, where a core team does most of the work and subs are used for specialised tasks like concrete, trusses or HVAC, with a clear chain of responsibility and fast corrections when something is flagged. Then we get blunt about contract red flags that should stop you in your tracks: clauses that block you from visiting the site, discourage hiring an independent home inspector, or push you into costly arbitration. We explain why code enforcement is not the same as quality, why manufacturer installation requirements often matter more than minimum code, and how an independent home inspection can catch functional and safety issues that others miss, including framing support mistakes, questionable moisture “fixes”, and unsafe electrical splices hidden under insulation. If you want fewer surprises and fewer battles, listen through, take notes, and share this with anyone planning a new construction home. Subscribe for more field tested advice, and if this helped, leave a review and tell us what builder red flag you have seen firsthand. Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Visit our home inspection website at Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation for exclusive resources, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at (1) Facebook to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

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About

Join Adventures in Home Buying, the ultimate podcast for anyone navigating the exciting, sometimes daunting world of purchasing a home! Whether you're a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or dreaming of your forever home, our engaging stories and expert insights will guide you through every step of the homebuying journey. From decoding mortgages and mastering bidding wars to uncovering hidden costs and spotting sustainable home features, we deliver practical tips and real-world advice to empower you with confidence. Tune in for captivating discussions with top home inspectors, real estate pros, and service companies who share their expertise on what makes a home a smart buy. Want to learn how to avoid costly repairs or choose the right lender? We've got you covered. Visit our website at [YourWebsiteHere] for exclusive resources, episode extras, and tools to make your homebuying adventure a success. Are you a home inspector or service company? We’re always looking for passionate experts to join us as guests! Share your insights, showcase your services, and connect with our growing audience of homebuyers. Contact us at [YourContactInfo] to be featured on Adventures in Home Buying. Subscribe now and embark on your homebuying adventure with us—because every home has a story, and we’re here to help you write yours! Sponsored by a Multi-Award Winning home inspection company Habitation Investigation in Ohio Home Inspector Columbus Ohio | Habitation Investigation

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Troth
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Adventures in Home Buying
  • Show Website
    Adventures in Home Buying