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Home Integrity Check

Get Your Home’s Risk Score Before You Buy, Sell, or Renovate

MetroWest Home Integrity Check structural risk assessment tool by Paul NeavynThe MetroWest Home Integrity Check is a free structural risk assessment for MetroWest Boston homes. It serves Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and the surrounding towns. Answer 14 questions about your property. In about 3 minutes, you receive a custom risk score with a category breakdown showing where the real questions live.

Paul Neavyn built it. He is a Realtor with Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty and has held a Massachusetts construction supervisor license since 2003. Most online home tools come from marketers. This one comes from a builder.

What the Home Integrity Check Covers

The assessment scores five systems that decide what a home actually costs to own. First, structural risk covers foundation type and crack patterns. Next, hidden systems include electrical panels, wiring era, plumbing, heating, and oil tanks. Finally, it screens for hazardous materials common to pre-1980 housing stock, plus permit and zoning exposure and renovation scope. Much of the housing in Newton, Wellesley, and Brookline predates 1940. So if you are buying an older home in Massachusetts, these are not edge cases. They are the standard questions for this market.

How It Works

The home integrity check asks 14 plain-language questions. No jargon, and “not sure” is always an acceptable answer, because unknowns are part of a home’s risk picture. You then receive your risk score on screen, plus a full report on each flag. The report reads the way a builder talks on a walkthrough. It covers what each flag typically means, what it costs to verify, and whether it belongs in your negotiation.

The check complements a professional home inspection rather than replacing one. Think of it as the homework that makes the inspection, and the negotiation after it, sharper.

Built on 20+ Years in Construction

Paul has completed 90+ transactions. He holds 50+ five-star Google reviews and 25+ five-star Zillow reviews. RealTrends also ranks him in the top 1.5% of Realtors nationwide. He holds a construction supervisor license from the Commonwealth’s Division of Occupational Licensure. In short, that combination is the reason this structural risk assessment exists. The questions are the ones he checks in person on every buyer showing and pre-listing walkthrough.

The interactive assessment is launching here soon. Until then, you can get the same evaluation the original way. Contact Paul to schedule a walkthrough, or explore how home era shapes value in Newton’s villages.

Frequently Asked Questions: MetroWest Home Integrity Check

What is the MetroWest Home Integrity Check?

A free structural risk self-assessment developed by Paul Neavyn, a licensed general contractor since 2003 and Realtor with Gibson Sotheby's International Realty. It scores a property across five systems: structural risk, hidden systems, hazardous materials, permits and zoning, and renovation scope. It takes about three minutes and produces a custom risk score with a category breakdown.

How do I know if an older home in Newton or Wellesley is structurally sound?

Start with the foundation type and crack patterns. Hairline vertical cracks are common and usually cosmetic. Horizontal or stair-step cracking, sloping floors, and doors that stick or swing can indicate settlement that deserves professional evaluation. Much of the housing stock in Newton, Wellesley, and Brookline predates 1940, so these checks are standard practice rather than red flags in themselves.

What do standard home inspections commonly miss?

Inspections are visual and time-limited. Items that commonly need deeper verification include buried oil tanks, the full extent of knob-and-tube wiring behind walls, vermiculite insulation composition, unpermitted work history, and realistic replacement costs for aging systems. A builder's walkthrough before the offer complements, rather than replaces, a licensed inspection.

Should I fix my foundation before selling my home in MetroWest?

It depends on what the crack pattern actually indicates. Some foundation repairs return their cost by removing buyer objections; others spend money buyers would not have discounted for. A pre-listing evaluation by someone with construction experience identifies which category your situation falls into before you commit funds.

What is knob-and-tube wiring and why does it matter in Massachusetts?

Knob-and-tube is an early wiring method common in homes built before 1950. Many Massachusetts insurers decline or surcharge coverage when active knob-and-tube is present, which can affect a buyer's ability to close. Remediation cost depends on how much remains, which is why verifying the extent early matters.

Are Federal Pacific electrical panels a problem?

Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels have documented histories of breakers failing to trip, and most electricians recommend replacement on discovery. If a home tour reveals one, replacement cost belongs in the negotiation rather than in the surprise column after closing.

How accurate is an online home risk score?

It reflects only the information you provide, so it is a structured starting point rather than a verdict. Its value is in organizing what to verify and in converting vague worry into a specific checklist. Physical conditions can only be confirmed by qualified professionals on site.

Who created this assessment?

Paul Neavyn, a Global Real Estate Advisor with Gibson Sotheby's International Realty in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Paul has held a Massachusetts construction supervisor license since 2003, has completed 90+ transactions, holds 50+ five-star Google reviews and 25+ five-star Zillow reviews, and is ranked in the top 1.5% of Realtors nationwide by RealTrends.

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