Hearthroot schedules the inspection, pulls the school ratings, orders comps, reviews HOA docs, checks flood zones and open permits, and books a contractor walkthrough — all before you sign anything. One report. One human on the line.
No commitment. Full report delivered in 48 hours or less.
Hearthroot Report
124 Beacon St · Boston, MA 02116
Inspection Booked
Nov 14 · 9:00 AM
School District
PS 6 · 9/10 GreatSchools
Comp Report
$1.24M median · 8 comps
HOA Documents
Reviewing by-laws…
Flood & Permits
Queued
Contractor Walkthrough
Queued
Maya K. · Your Advisor
Reviewing HOA by-laws now…
48h
Report turnaround
6
Diligence checks per property
94%
Of buyers uncover at least one material issue
1
Real advisor, every transaction
The reality
Markets in NYC, SF, Boston, and DC don't wait for due diligence. If you need a week to research flood maps and call inspectors, you're already outbid.
They know the market. They don't know that the co-op has a special assessment pending, or that the permit for the 2019 addition was never closed.
You've read twelve articles about what to look for in a home inspection. You've never read HOA by-laws under deadline, and you shouldn't have to.
The full checklist
Each one is coordinated by your advisor, delivered in a single structured report, and explained in a call — before you ever write an offer.
We contact licensed inspectors in your market, get the earliest available slot, and coordinate access — so you don't spend two hours leaving voicemails.
GreatSchools ratings, district boundary confirmation, and elementary through high-school options for every property — auto-attached to your report.
Six months of closed sales within a quarter mile, adjusted for square footage and condition. Presented as a range, not a guess.
We read the by-laws, meeting minutes, and financials. Pending assessments, litigation history, reserve-fund shortfalls — flagged in plain language.
FEMA flood zone classification, insurance cost estimate, and a full permit history pull to surface any unpermitted work or open violations.
A licensed contractor walks the property with your inspection report and calls out repair estimates by trade. You know the number before you negotiate.
How it works
Step 1
Paste the listing URL or enter the address. Tell us when offers are due. That's the whole intake form.
Step 2
A real person — not a bot, not a form — coordinates every check. They contact inspectors, pull records, and read documents so you don't have to.
Step 3
You receive a structured PDF with flags, cost estimates, and a 20-minute call with your advisor to walk through anything that needs context.
"I found out the building had $80,000 in pending assessments two hours before I was going to submit my offer. Hearthroot flagged it. I walked."
$80K
Pending assessment caught before offer
3.2×
Avg. issues found vs. buyer-only search
Our philosophy
The home-buying process was designed by and for people who do it professionally — realtors, lawyers, lenders. First-time buyers in cities get handed a hundred-page contract and 48 hours to decide. Most just guess.
We built Hearthroot because we believe clarity isn't a luxury. If you're spending $900,000 on a condo in the South End, you should know what you're buying before you write the check — not in the inspection contingency window, not after closing.
Every report is reviewed by a person. Every flag is explained in plain language. Every client gets a real phone number. That's the whole model.
"We're not trying to replace your realtor. We're giving you the information your realtor doesn't have time to find."
From clients
"I asked my realtor about the permit on the garage conversion. She didn't know. Hearthroot found two open permits and an unpermitted bedroom in 24 hours. Renegotiated $30K off the price."
Marcus R.
UX designer · San Francisco, CA
"I read contracts for a living and I still didn't want to decode 80 pages of HOA by-laws under deadline. Worth every dollar to have someone who does this do it instead."
Priya L.
Attorney · Washington, DC
"The school-district pull alone was worth it. The listing said 'near top-rated schools.' The actual assigned school had a 4/10 rating. Deal-breaker we caught before, not after."
Tom H.
Product manager · Boston, MA
Pricing
Essential
$349
For buyers who need the core checks done right.
Complete
$649
For buyers who want zero surprises before they sign.
Per-property pricing. Pay only when you have a specific address to diligence.
FAQ
Get started
Send us the address. We'll handle the rest and have your full diligence report ready before your offer window closes.
Flat-fee pricing. No subscription. No upsell after you've signed.
The Hearth Report
Making your first offer in a competitive metro is exhilarating — and terrifying. This checklist walks you through every layer of diligence you should run before you sign, from flood zone lookups to HOA reserve funds, so nothing blindsides you at closing. Consider it the inspection list your real estate agent wishes they had time to hand you.
That stack of HOA documents your agent emails you at 11 p.m. isn't just paperwork — it's a financial x-ray of the building you're about to co-own. Knowing which line items signal a looming special assessment versus a healthy reserve can save you tens of thousands of dollars. Here's exactly what to look for, page by page.
In a fast-moving market, buyers are increasingly waiving inspection contingencies to win — but that doesn't mean skipping the inspection entirely. Understanding the difference between a pre-offer walkthrough and a full pre-closing inspection (and when each is legally and strategically appropriate) could be the most important decision you make in the process.
School district boundaries don't just affect your children's education — they're one of the most durable drivers of long-term property value in urban markets. Even buyers without kids routinely prioritize school zoning, and for good reason. Here's how to pull accurate boundary data, interpret district ratings critically, and understand what it actually means for resale.