Liability when purchasing a home: What now?

Questioner

In May 2018, my daughter bought a house built in 1926 and moved into it in September 2018. One of the exterior doors was perfectly painted and visually unblemished. It now appears that the back door in question is completely rotten and needs to be replaced. No building inspection report was prepared when the house was purchased. Can the previous owners be held liable for the damage, or part of it?

Questioner

This is possible if your daughter can prove that the seller deliberately concealed this fact. Failure to inspect can be grounds for rejection, but the defect should have been demonstrated during the inspection. A buyer's obligation doesn't extend to requiring any demolition work, but a professional might have noticed that the door was rotten.