Depending on where you are with the purchase decision, get a book on home inspections, which will list all potential issues and how you can spot possible problems. Bring along a friend or family member with experience. Once you've decided to buy, get a good inspector and spring for any extras he recommends. (We were recommended to get someone to send video up the chimneys, which turned out to be unlined and not particularly safe). We bought a house in good shape, but thanks to our inspection report, negotiated down the price based on a number of items that needed to be fixed that we didn't see, but our inspector did. For stuff like the chimneys, which didn't get negotiated down, we had an estimate. Many things will be clues as to how well the house has been maintained and upgraded over the years. Have the electrics been redone? When? What about the heating? Or the roof? The house looks pristine, but you want to know if the house has been care fully and lovingly maintained over the years, or just recently painted for resale. The bath shower arrangement, for example, is strange. What happened to the shower curtain rod? Was there a miserable moldy -- or worse yet, rotting --- bathroom that got fixed up and they didn't put the curtain rod back because a quick sale was more important than doing a good job. It's great if someone else took care of headaches so you don't have to, but make sure they did a good job. Ask questions about the history of the house and its updates. Unless there's another serious buyer who sounds like he'll buy at the asking price now, honest sellers will be happy to answer questions.

Huge artworks and mirrors that are leaning would still have to be attached at the top somehow, wouldn't they?? Surely they would be dangerous otherwise, especially in areas prone to earthquakes (even small ones) and in homes with young children. Imagine something that size falling onto someone!

I've heard that these are no good because they tear the wallpaper off the wall, which isn't exactly ideal considering you've just wallapered your house - maybe hooks would be better instead

Far out! This bathroom is amazing. How did you make the light? Definitely a work of art within itself! The glass door is also amazing, I'm such a fan of stained glass in the right circumstances, and this room is definitely the right circumstances. I'm in love.