A Field Guide · No. I · MMXXVI

Read a house before the problems get repainted

Without a way to check the 84 trouble spots that repeat in buyer inspections, you are left reading fresh paint and contractor assurances. This manual gives you a 13-chapter read of the house before you sign.

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This is not a home inspection, a repair estimate, or a substitute for a qualified local professional. It is a field manual for recognizing visible warning signs, asking better questions, and knowing when a finding deserves a closer look.

The Red Flag Almanac

I · The math

What changes on the walk-through

The work is not diagnosing a house from a photograph. It is replacing a vague impression with specific observations before you commit.

Before you have a showing to attend

You notice what looks good. You may not know which crack matters, what a patched ceiling is covering, or what to ask when a contractor calls a shortcut normal. The house sets the pace, and each unanswered question follows you into the purchase.

After you have a method for the walk-through

You move through the property in a usable order: lot first, roof from the ground, exterior skin, structure, utilities, attic, and finishes. You leave with written questions, visible conditions to document, and a clearer sense of what requires an inspector, a specialist, or a walk away.

	Now	With the book
Site and drainage	A damp basement is treated as a basement problem	You start outside with grading, downspouts, discharge, and water paths
Roof condition	You judge the roof by whether it looks generally intact	You read visible wear, flashing, penetrations, and edge conditions from the ground
Foundation concerns	Cracks are either ignored or treated as automatic disaster	You note the crack pattern, location, movement clues, and questions for a professional
Electrical and plumbing	You open panels or start testing what you are not qualified to handle	You identify visible warning signs and keep hands off the panel
Fresh renovation work	New paint and finishes settle the question	You inspect corners, transitions, access points, and work that was covered in a hurry

The gain is a written read of the house before you sign, not a guess based on how well the rooms were staged.

II · Inside the book

Thirteen chapters, arranged in the order a house reveals itself

The 186 pages cover the curb read; roof from the ground; walls, windows, and exterior skin; foundation and structure; basements and crawlspaces; plumbing; electrical; heating and cooling; attic conditions; interior finish forensics; flip forensics; the inspection report and negotiation; and walk-away arithmetic. Each section stays with what can be observed, documented, and raised with the right professional.

1. The Curb Read: Lot, Grading, and Drainagepp. 3–14

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

2. Roof From the Groundpp. 15–26

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

3. Walls, Windows, and the Outside Skinpp. 27–38

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

4. Foundation and Structure: The Walk-Away Sectionpp. 39–51

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

5. Basements and Crawlspaces From the Hatchpp. 52–62

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

6. The Plumbing Read (No Wrenches)pp. 63–74

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

7. The Electrical Read (Hands Off the Panel)pp. 75–85

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

8. Heating, Cooling, and the Big Ironpp. 86–96

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

9. Attic From the Hatchpp. 97–108

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

10. Interior Finish Forensics: What Fresh Paint Hidespp. 109–118

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

11. Flip Forensics: Reading a Renovation's Cornerspp. 119–131

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

12. The Report, the Inspector, and the Negotiationpp. 132–142

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

13. The Walk-Away Arithmeticpp. 143–186

each method is a self-contained unit the reader can run alone

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Raymond Keller

III · Who wrote it

Twenty-eight years of findings, written plainly

Raymond Keller walked through more than 11,000 Mid-Atlantic houses over twenty-eight years before retiring from inspection work. He documented the same drainage failures, concealed water damage, unsafe electrical work, tired mechanical systems, and rushed renovations over and over. The Red Flag Almanac organizes those repeated findings by the systems buyers need to read before the paperwork is final.

IV · The offer

$17 once. No subscription. Yours forever.

The Red Flag Almanac

186 pages · 13 chapters · 84-point printable checklist · 11 contractor red-flag phrases

The Red Flag Almanac

You are buying a repeatable way to inspect the visible evidence before a house becomes your responsibility. At $17, it gives you Raymond’s documented order of operations, the questions that stop vague answers, and references that keep the walk-through from turning into a scavenger hunt.

$17 $48 Launch price — ends August 31

Use it before your next showing or inspection period.

What you get for $17:

The Red Flag Almanac

A Field Guide · No. I · MMXXVI

BonusPre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

A printable room-by-room checklist of the 84 items Raymond flagged most often in buyer inspections, organized by system and typical repair cost.

$12

BonusContractor Red-Flag Phrase Guide

A two-page reference of the eleven excuses and deflections Raymond heard from contractors during re-inspections, with the honest translation of each and what it means for your timeline and budget.

$9

Everything together: $48 of material — today $17

You pay today ~~$48~~$17

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Instant download · PDF · 186 pages

Published by Handover Books · secure checkout

Read the manual and use the included references for 30 days. If it does not give you a clearer way to document what you see and what to ask, request a refund within 30 days of purchase.

V · Questions

Questions buyers usually ask

Why pay $17 for this instead of relying on an inspector?

You should still hire a qualified inspector when the purchase calls for one. This manual helps you notice conditions earlier, prepare questions for the inspection, and understand what deserves follow-up. It does not replace an inspection or a specialist’s evaluation.

Will this apply outside the Mid-Atlantic?

The book comes from Mid-Atlantic inspection work, but the systems it covers are common across much of U.S. housing: grading, roofs, foundations, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, attics, and renovation work. Local construction, climate, code requirements, and professional standards still vary.

Is this useful if I already own the house?

Yes. The same chapters can help an owner make a more organized pass around the property, document visible changes, and prepare better questions before calling a contractor or inspector. It does not tell you how to perform repairs.

What format is it in?

The Red Flag Almanac is an instant PDF download with 186 pages. The Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist is printable, and the Contractor Red-Flag Phrase Guide is a two-page reference.

What if it is not useful for my situation?

You have 30 days from purchase to request a refund. Review the manual, determine whether the approach fits your property question, and contact the seller within that period if it does not.

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Do not let fresh paint answer the hard questions

A house can be clean, staged, and newly finished while the important evidence sits at the roof edge, the grading line, the basement hatch, or behind a quick renovation. Take the manual on the next walk-through and write down what the house is telling you.

Get the manual · $17