Do I need an inspection on a co-op or condo?

Yes, and for a reason people underestimate. Buying an apartment is not buying a house with fewer rooms: much of what decides whether it is a good purchase sits behind a wall you will never own.

Inside the unit there is plenty to inspect properly. Outside it, the roof, boiler, risers and facade belong to the building and reach you as an assessment rather than a repair. The inspection tells you the condition of what can be reached and, just as importantly, lists what could not be, which is what makes those questions answerable by the managing agent.

A real photograph from one of Lou’s own inspections, chosen because it shows a building component and nothing that identifies a property or an owner.