In the Northwest it is very common to see decorative corbels supporting the roof overhangs on homes.
Because these elements stick past the roof structure the tops are often very vulnerable to decay/rot. Usually paint alone is not enough to adequately protect these surfaces and because they are not visible from the ground usually, they can end up with significant decay/rot before it is noticed.
As an improvement these protrusions can be flashed with metal caps to better protect them.
Your home inspector should be checking these corbels for decay during the roof inspection.
