Home inspectors, usually guided by state regulations, are able to find things of concern that the buyer would otherwise overlook. Since this is likely to be the largest purchase of your lifetime the few hundred dollars spend on a home inspection is always money well spent. No, it does not. Depending upon the specific issues and the terms of the sales contract the buyer may be able to have some things fixed by the seller. Each situation if different and the buyer should look to his Buyer's Agent for advice on the types of things a seller normally can be expected to repair given the sales contract terms and market conditions at the time.
Nothing is ever constant except change.
A buyer who will utilize mortgage financing should have mortgage pre approval before starting the search process. This pre approval is always subject to financial issues remaining unchanged until closing. Buying a new car, loaning money to a relative, splurging on a vacation, missing a credit card payment, etc. Similarly, a cash buyer who needs to sell stocks, make IRA withdrawals or otherwise move funds around should do so well before closing and preferably before the search process begins. An unexpected delay of days or weeks while a retirement plan administrator processes your withdrawal could make the difference between buying the home you want or watching someone else buy it 9.