Corner Wood Trim
If you run into a situation where the corner wood
trim is loose and you can, possibly peek behind it, check the corner for
cracks in the plaster or drywall.
Examining this house I noticed a lot of cracks and was not surprised, to
find cracks behind some of the wood trim that was installed in the
corners.
Don't forget that cracks represent building settlement and could lead to
structural problems. For example the foundation could be moving or
structural framing members could be suffering from wood rot or termite
damage.
Once you run into problems like these, where someone has deliberately
covered them up, start looking around the house for more problems that
could be covered up also.
Don't assume the homeowner did this to fool a perspective homebuyer or
home inspector. This is an inexpensive way to cover cracks and it is
quite effective.