Once you’ve made an offer on a house, you need to get an inspection to give you a detailed idea of what condition the house is in. An inspection usually cost $200-$450- but it is worth every penny.

Some defects are trivial; others are more serious. An inspection can help you decide whether you need to act on the defects you find. During your contract negotiations- you can often ask the sellers to fix any inspection defects before you move in.