Mold, no heat or water would qualfy as not fit for human habitation.

I do understand investments take time to learn and to see things through, mistakes are made, and of course a constant learning habit.

Keep in mind it could depend on the wording in your contract/purchase agreement though.Regardless, you wouldn't want to make a habit of (or be known for) backing out of agreements for no reason.

They have personal agendas, plans for the houses, want some of the stuff and ideas abou what to do with the cash from savings or sale.These living people have bills to pay, children to feed and habits to pay for.Find the pain and the things that interfere and solve those problems.

I could barely spend the 1 hour open house time we did for them.The buyer @ $144,500 was a divorced, retired 65 yr old GM worker with a 2 pack a day habit.

Now, I get that someone who thinks you might relieve them of their financial misery is very unlikely to harm you, just like a person on a rope bridge with you is unlikely to cut the rope bridge, but you know, if you meet 50 new people a year and turn your back on them in their house, you might have one with nefarious motives.

Having never been a habitable dwelling before, they may require engineered drawing/plans.

I'm guessing at least another $2,000 for that alone, putting my total roofing replacement at approximately $6,000.But, the better question is this: Is there any harm in putting in an offer with a modest earnest money deposit, and then follow through with the inspection and contractor, then decide based on their findings to either keep or walk away from the property?

Yes at the end of four years you may be sleep deprived but my only regret was the working full time, when doing real estate 20 hours would have made me much more money and gave me more time with my wife, but I had "safety net syndrome" caused by a weekly paycheck habit .

ThanksTexas has an implied warranty of habitability that appears to mean a rental must be dry, heated, with flushing toilet, etc.