I'm pretty sure you can't even get a mortgage if the house isn't inspected thoroughly prior to purchase here. Heck, when I did a home improvement loan, they came and inspected the house.
I had new windows installed a few weeks ago. Because of threads like this I was afraid of what might be found during the job.
Yes, sad. We found out a neighbor told a neighbor that told a neighbor that the reason a house a few blocks down the road from us is not for sale anymore is because of termite damage. Yep.