 If you make an offer on a house, please, for the love of God, be part of the inspection. There's no one out there that cares more about your purchase than you. Whenever I purchase a home, I make sure to inspect things that I have experience with. I check the AC, duct work, pool equipment, and obvious things, like checking the ceilings and walls for obvious leaks. The rest you have to trust your inspector with. Things like the roof, the electrical system, and items that require gas should definitely be inspected by a professional. And again, any damages or defects that come during the inspection need to be quantified. And then you renegotiate the purchase price or get out of the deal.