COMMON QUESTIONS

Nobody, neither the buyer nor the seller is legally obligated or required to do anything based on what the inspector finds.  The inspector simply reports what he finds and provides his recommendations.  What you do with the information is up to you. 

Well to be honest, he/she probably will.  No home is perfect.  Even a brand new home usually has a small punch list of items that could be addressed.   Things wear out and break without notice.  Welcome to home ownership!  However, with that said, everyone's skill set and budget is different.  Its a matter of simply looking at the defects, knowing your circumstances and making some decisions.  If it's cosmetic or minor in nature, part of normal routine maintenance,  or something you are comfortable handling, most will opt to take care of it on their own after closing.   If not, you have some decisions to make.  Even then it doesn't have to be a deal breaker.   This is where your REALTOR comes in.

Good realtors are professional negotiators!  If you find one of those, keep them.  They have lots of experience in this area, so take advantage of their skills.  Often there is a simple solution, and they can help all parties involved find it.  

 It's pretty tough for a homebuyer to remain objective and unemotional about a house they're beginning to fall in love with.  A buyer can start to see what "they want" to see, and dismiss things that perhaps are against their better judgement.  Frankly, the inspector isn't invested in the home.  His job is to report what he sees and finds, as accurately as possible, and provide a 3rd party opinion in a professional manner.    

No.  A Home Inspection reports on the home's condition, a snapshot in time, on the the day of the inspection. The condition is what is it.  It's not like an appraisal, which determines market value.  It's not like an Inspection from the Building Department official that can "red tag" a project until it meets code.  A home inspection basically tells you what was working, and what was broken or unsafe.  

However, knowing a home's true condition is good for everyone involved.