wish we had a home buying channel. thinking of moving on our first house but i feel out of sorts here.

I can share tips as a homeowner and what I have seen in the marketplace (it will be a casthread)
Before you sign: 
Think about the location, the seasons and roof shape. 
1.) If you pick a flat roof design but get heavy snow in that region, you can get roof collapse without proper drainage
2.) Hip roof shapes perform…

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… very well in high wind / tornado alleys. A bonus would be if the hip roof is fitted with metal and not shingles.
3.) Think about trees within fall distance in the event of heavy winds or large snowstorms (can snap / fall and event structurally cause a total loss)
4.) other region / location specifics: …

Home equipped with a septic tank or public sewage? (If septic, ask for a detailed breakdown of maintenance)
5.)Year built:
If the house is pre 1970, pay for asbestos testing for a piece of mind and good health (especially if you got kiddos)
Avoid any / all lead pipes and galvanized piping …

… depending on the square footage and age of the home make sure that the electrical panel / system is up to code and can handle modern day electrical loads e.g. 100 amps for a 1600 sq ft home is bad or knob and tube / screw in breakers …

… last 3 things: pay for a thorough independent inspection / appraisal which should tell you the wrong stuff not the shiny Zillow photos, try to find out if the prior homeowner had claims on the property (indicator of future problems and headaches)… no arm loans only fixed & GL m8

… Is the home in a flood zone? Check your local FEMA 500 year flood plane maps
Is the home equipped with sump pumps for sewage in case of back ups? Typically it indicates that there are frequent issues / back ups in the homes and should have a main sump pump and a back up (preferably new). Speaking of poop, is the…