The small vents under the eaves of an older home are what let the attic breathe. On a lot of houses, a paint roller sealed them shut years ago - and the roof has been paying for it ever since.

She'd been told that hiring an inspector for a brand-new house was a waste of money. The county inspected it. It has a warranty. Nobody had ever lived in it. We found nineteen things.

If you walked into a model home in Green Cove Springs or Middleburg without an agent, nobody in that transaction works for you - and nobody will mention that you can hire your own inspector. Here's what to know, and when.