If money matters more than your time, get to understand maintenance and logbooks. First look at any considered plane yourself, going through the logbooks.
Contact an engineer with experience on the type. The guy who'll likely be maintaining the purchase is best. Discuss with them before paying them to travel to inspect it. Many aircraft have faults that mean rejection without a professional inspection. NEVER BUY without one though. And use YOUR engineer
Examples: I found a prop damage after hitting an object on taxi, but no engine shock load test. And an AD missed, where the engineer insisted it had been done, but just not written up. ( I'd been less worried if he's said "Oops,missed that.)