A huge real estate problem in So. Cal (and many other areas of the US) are those hidden toxins. From (24,000 in Los Angeles and Orange counties) leaky oil wells in backyards, solid-waste landfills near homes and (83 in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura ) abandoned meth labs to superfund proximity, a real concern about a new property is exactly how polluted the location could be.
You can always go online do a (brownfield) superfund search, but what about the onetime military base, dry cleaner, former factory loft? And don’t forget about mold… Now you can get a detailed environmental hazards report before purchasing a property; and if you do choose to buy, get multiple bids on remediation.