Alarm.com is a new player to the market who has a excellent cloud based system which has a lot of bang for the buck, can intergrate camera systems, energy management, and security all under one platform and easy to manage from anywhere in the world being cloud based. 

Get a professional camera or hire someone.

Is it generally safe with security cameras?

You would think that one of those folks would have noticed the cameras throughout the home, then maybe they would have not been so outspoken talking about the bad board in the controller and that it was a remanufactured unit and should have never been put in a new fireplace.

Vivint Alarm System - I have Vivint installed with multiple cameras around the house. 

Make sure to get the sewer lateral scoped with a camera.

Sometimes you can cut a small piece of carpet to see what the floors look like underneath)Scotch Tape - (mostly for posting notices)Printed & Blank SignsKing Size permanent market - (for writing up signs)Camera - (we use our phones but also a Panasonic HD with external audio hookup.

My only guess, from having friends who have worked on HGTV-type shows previously, is that if there are inspections, they were off camera and not deemed "plot relative." 

I would sugest just driving arround with a notepad and a camera, find as many ugly looking places as you can and cold calling them to see if the owners want to sell. 

Look up a flick titled, "The Inside Job" and watch the banksters squirm as they admit - on camera - to causing the crash.So, there's the demand and the supply, at a glance.Now, consider that the lending market today is pretty tough compared to even before the build up to the crash.Demand is driving home prices higher. the only thing keeping them from launching into inter-stellar space is the dearth of lending.Now add student debt into the mix and it's a small miracle that ANY new graduates are getting home loans at all.