Home inspection in Anthon.

Anthon sits near the Little Sioux River, and the Woodbury County flood insurance study covers the river and its tributaries, so the flood map status of a lot is the first thing to check. In a town founded in 1888 as a rail stop on the Iowa plains, many houses are old enough to have basements that seep after heavy rain and foundations that have shifted in silty loess soil. Grading, downspouts, cracks, efflorescence and sump discharge are worth checking, as is whether the furnace and water heater sit low enough to be at risk if water comes in.

Plan on two to three hours for an average home; larger, older or multi-unit properties run longer because there is simply more to document.