If it has a crawl space, I look inside with a flash light a bit and see if I can see any termite tunnels or damage to the under neath.Let me know if you guys have additional information to add to this. 

And as for describing step by step how to do it I clearly stated NO I will not do that, I have laid out the narrative and location for the information but I am a bit brighter than detailing how to do such a thing.  

Run the tub while watching the connection with the drain in the beam of a flashlight.

Good flashlights, and spare batteries just in case, are essential if you are going in to see REO properties.

@elizabeth- you aren't too far from Toledo so I suspect we have similar building age and construction.As soon as my jack-of-all-trades (master of none) reported that there was a block in the chimney I would send him to Home Depot for some pieces of 3/4" pipe...it's not rocket science to shine a good power flashlight down from the top and then thread together enough pipe to bang whatever it is down to the bottom, or hook it up to the top.

If you can get into the crawlspace or basement area with a flashlight, look for rotted framing members or water leaks.

But the numbers still work pretty well for buy and hold.On a brighter note, you and I have a very similar background.

The future looks brighter everyday!

About the only phone apps that I use are yahoo-email, an HP48 calculator app (it's RPN - and I'm fully aware that most of you under 40's people won't even know what RPN stands for, especially if you're not an engineer), youmail voicemail, a flashlight app, weather and radar apps, and my phone's standard navigator app and camera app.By the way, the HP48 app is free and it's an exact copy of my actual HP48 calculator that I bought more than 10 years ago for >$100.

I took my pad and paper, flashlight and a tape measure.