I'm considering buying a home I've been renting for two and a half years. It's about 20 ft. square, with a crawl space under it. Apparently, the previous occupant had problems with the oil heater, which leaked. When I started renting, it was a nuisance as far as smell but I kept the windows open a lot and was told it would go away. I finally had my landlord replace the heater with a gas unit at the end of this summer, and it has cut down the smell considerably. I have noticed the oil had soaked into the walls (about 2' up the studs) of the heater closet and under the tub, which has an access in the closet. Altogether, I'd say the oil has damaged about 30 sq. ft. of space. What I'm wondering is - the asking price being about equal to the price of just a lot in the neighborhood, but with the oil problems, do you think this will end up being a money pit? I also have no idea about the liability or laws regarding the clean-up. I'm sure the landlord will want to sell it "as is" and will not agree to pay for any of that.