Buying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklist, photographs, environmental reports and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do?

Relax. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

1. Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure.

2. Things that lead to major defects. A small roof-flashing leak, for example.

3. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy or insure the home.

4. Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electric panel.

Anything in these categories should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4). Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection.

Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure or nit-picky items.

Buying a home? It is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring a thoroughly certified inspector is almost insignificant. Bear Creek Property Consultants LLC is a certified member of two national home inspection associations. These associations hold their members to very standards and require a demanding commitment to continued education and strict ethical standards.

You have recently been crunching the numbers, negotiating offers, adding up closing costs, shopping for mortgages and trying to get the best deals. Do not stop now. Do not let your real estate agent, a run-of-the-mill inspector or anyone else talk you into skimping here. Certified and accredited inspectors perform the best inspections in the industry. Do yourself a favor, make a small investment in the professional inspection services offered by Bear Creek Property Consultants LLC. It could be the best investment you will ever make.