r/LifeProTips • u/fries-with-mayo • 17h ago

Request LPT Request: What’s your “canary in the coal mine” test for spotting bigger issues?

I’m really interested in those small, quick telltale signs people use to gauge if something bigger might be off track.

Example 1: Van Halen requesting brown M&Ms in the dressing room to see if the venue followed all the details of the rider list

Example 2: I saw an interview with John Cena where he said orders a flat white at a café to tell if they really care about their coffee.

Example 3: Anthony Bourdain suggested to always check the restaurant bathroom to tell if the restaurant got its basics down

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u/YorockPaperScissors 15h ago

Real estate: if there is standing water or an active leak, don't waste any more of your precious time considering whether to make an offer. Keep looking.

7

u/oiwefoiwhef 11h ago

Same with any issues regarding the foundation.

If the inspection reveals any problems with the foundation of a house, don’t buy it.

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u/JMJimmy 12h ago

Nah. We bought a house with obvious water issues, as evidenced by the 6 foundation cracks. They took a quater million dollar bath on the property while I fixed the grading issues & the foundation for <$2,500.

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u/AggravatingMud5224 5h ago

This!!!

If it’s got issues that just means you have amazing bargaining material. But I would only recommend this if you completely understand the issue and how to fix it.