Yes.  It takes the monkey off my back.

You're not going to like my answer but I do not.

Yes; it is all about avoiding costly surprises and future lawsuits for concealing known defects.

inspections keep real estate agents out of court....

I consider home inspections "cheap" insurance, so that a buyer understands what may be facing them regarding the home they are buying. I've only ever recommended that clients walk away from a contract based on inspection results a few times, but in my mind they proved their worth in this regard.

Yes sir.  One needs an independent eye for the homes we purchase.  I rely on people like you to tell me things I did not see to tell us about potential issues 

Yes...many many times over!

If I'm representing a buyer I have them sign a waiver if them opt not to have a professional home inspection. I require that so I am off the hook for any liability.

IMO thoroughly inspecting a home IS important, but hiring a professional may not always be necessary. If the buyer is savvy about construction they may be as good or better than some licensed home inspectors. Especially if the property is a simple one to inspect.

 As an experienced buyers agent, I would not allow a buyer to buy a property without one.  That is how important I feel they are.  I have personally sat thru 200 home inspections now, and I still manage to learn something new every time.

Yes, Michael, they are crucial to the transaction.

Home inspections have always been part of our repertoire. Caveat emptor exists because Sellers may attempt to mask the many not-so obvious defects which are expensive to mitigate. Home inspections level that playing field at a minimum cost. "Flipping" is notoriously suspect in this regard. 

Like Nina said, it is a cheap insurance policy, and do believe buyers should have one done.

Hi Michael -- Yes I do believe they are necessary as an overview of the property for sellers prior to putting a home ont the market for sale and for buyers to understand the condition of the property they are considering.  

I couldnt sell a property without a home inspection. The client is relying on the home inspector to report any deficiencies with the property. If the client moves in and finds many of the defects of the home, it would reflect poorly on me. I do not feel that I am doing my job for the client if I did not have them do a home inspection. Would you purchase a home without one? 

Yes. Either way they will find out problems of the home and this way be better prepared.

Michael Thornton From a buyer's perspective, yes.

It depend son the buyer and how good the inspector is. i have had buyers hire inspectors that didnt know their up from down. Then there are som good ones who are not alarmists and take the time to explain things. 

You bet

Yes absolutely!  It makes the buyer either feel good about what they are buying or makes them terminate the sale.  I  always have my sellers do a home inspection prior to listing their home so they can fix an issues.

Michael - I would say it depends on a number of things, but in general I believe that some sort of home inspection is a necessity. I always recommend my clients get a home inspection. The less someone knows about homes, buying a home, and home construction, the more important the home inspection.

They aren't necessary, but I strongly recommend them. I call the inspection a fact finding mission on the house. 

Absolutely,  I always recommend an inspection to all my buyers.

I've always had them, but starting to expand to Europe now I've learned they dont have them there. I would always get one for any sale I do in the US just because it seems people love to sue people for a quick buck. In Europe it is not like that and the courts would not even take most cases that go to court here, so there I am fine without an inspection.

Absolutely, I think this is a great service, and it creates a knowledgeable buyer.

Michael Thornton - first - Happy Birthday wishes.

And answer to your question - oh yes it is the most important aspect of buying a home.

Home inspections have become a standard in our market.

During my earlier years in real estate, there were no home inspections and we had few problems. One of the differences was that the quality of construction was better  in those years.