Know what's behind the walls before you make an offer.

The $100K Blind Spot: the nine systems and the scorecard I use to grade my own buildings. Now yours to use too.

30-day money-back guarantee

The $100K Blind Spot cover
What's inside?

What to look for when buying an apartment building

The nine systems I grade, ranked by what a miss costs you.

  1. 0Energy audit20 pts
  2. 1Structure20 pts
  3. 2Building envelope15 pts
  4. 3Plumbing and water heating10 pts
  5. 4Heating and cooling10 pts
  6. 5Electrical10 pts
  7. 6Safety and security5 pts
  8. 7Site5 pts
  9. 8Basements5 pts

Here's an example of what you find inside.

Ten feet past the building, the sewer line was cracked.

Before closing

10 feet out

Found before closing: $30K–$50K to fix

After closing

Residents moved to a hotel

Found after closing: $500K+

$#@%!

The pipes, the wiring and the structure are where a deal goes wrong. They're also what a walk-through skips, so they go on your scorecard.

Here's how you score your building.

  1. 1Before the visit.Search the public records for open code violations. You inherit them at closing.
  2. 2On the walk.Score each system 1 to 5, and write down what you can't see. That's your list for a specialist.
  3. 3Before you make an offer.Add up your Building Score out of 100. It tells you to proceed, negotiate, investigate or walk away.

What's in the download

Both bonuses included.

  • Building Score/ 100
    The scorecardOne page to grade your building out of 100, on site.
  • StructuralWhat to Look ForRed Flags
    The guideNine systems: what to look for, the red flags, and where the upside hides.
  • 5 Red FlagsQuick Reference
    Bonus 1: 5 Red Flags Quick ReferenceThe five finds that reprice or kill a deal. Print it and bring it.
  • Bonus 2: Utility Cost Baseline TemplateEnter 12 months of bills, and it benchmarks what your building costs to run.
Jon Weiskopf

"When I inspect, I think as an engineer. When I assess, I think as an owner."

I'm Jon Weiskopf, a licensed engineer with 20 years and 400+ projects behind me, and I own buildings too. On one 70-unit deal, every heating and cooling unit was 18+ years old. Replacing them broke the numbers, the seller wouldn't move, and I walked away.

The $100K Blind Spot cover

30-day money-back guarantee. It doesn't replace a licensed inspection. It helps you read one.

Not buying a building this month? Get your weekly lesson.