Professional Inspection:  Most home inspections are done by professionals.  A professional home inspector has tools and methods for looking at a home from top to bottom and left to right.  Obviously, a professional inspector can not find every problem, but they can find more than the average person.  A home inspector is typically at a home for 2 to 3 hours and then reviews their findings with the buyer when they are through inspecting the home.  98% of home inspections are paid for by the buyer.  Some sellers choose to have their home inspected prior to selling so they can address the problems before they scare a buyer away.  The cost of a home inspection depends on the size of the home.  Most inspections are between $200 and $400 for the basic inspection.  Termite, radon, mold and other tests are usually an additional cost.  A good inspector is not affiliated with any repair company.  Inspectors who are affiliated with repair companies could be biased in their findings and may "inflate" a problem to try to get additional business.  Professional inspectors will tell buyers if there is an issue that they need a licensed contractor to look into further.  I would be happy to recommend a few local inspectors.  It's important to understand that I am not affiliated with any of these inspectors.  I require any inspector I refer to be completely honest with my buyers, even if that means losing the sale.  I'd rather have a buyer back out of a sale versus having them buy a lemon and blaming me for it.

Trade Specific Inspectors:  Some inspections are done by a licensed contractor in a specific industry, like a plumber or electrician.  If a home buyer only has a concern in one category of the home, they could consider paying a contractor in that industry to check into it for them.  Most contractors are happy for this type of business because it's a chance for them to get more business if they find a problem.  So, contractors thoroughly look into the problem area.  The cost for these inspections vary between $45 to $150 and depend on what a contractors typical service call fee is.

Self Inspection:  Some buyers are quite capable as a "do it yourself" inspector.  Someone who has a good working knowledge of all the home's mechanical and cosmetic components could feel comfortable in tackling the home inspection on their own.  Typically, a self inspection reveals fewer problems because most people don't have the same tools or methods that a professional uses.  These don't usually cost the buyer any money unless they buy special things, like tall ladders, to be able to inspect the home.  A self inspector is usually very thorough because they have to live with any problems they miss. 

Friend/Family As Inspector:  Some buyers have a trusted friend or family member inspect a home.  Perhaps this friend or family member is the type that could do a Self Inspection.  Even though these friends and family members have good intentions, they usually don't spend as much time in a home as a professional or self inspector.  These inspections usually reveal the least amount of problems.