Short answer: no, most lenders don't require a home inspection to approve a mortgage. They require an appraisal, which is a different thing entirely, and skipping the inspection anyway is a real risk to you, not to your lender.
Appraisal vs. Inspection: Not the Same Thing
An appraisal exists to protect the lender, confirming the home is worth at least what they're lending against it. It's a value assessment, not a detailed condition report. A home inspection exists to protect you, the buyer, examining the roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and structural condition in detail. Lenders require the first. Nothing requires the second, except your own judgment.
Why Skipping It Is Still Risky
An appraiser isn't checking whether your furnace is 20 years old, whether the roof needs replacing in two years, or whether there's water damage behind a wall. Those are exactly the expensive surprises a home inspection is designed to catch before you're financially committed, not after.
When a Lender Might Require Something More
For rural properties, lenders often require a well water potability test and septic system certification. Homes with a wood stove or fireplace insert sometimes require a WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) inspection. These are lender requirements tied to specific property features, not a general substitute for a full home inspection.
Financing Condition vs. Inspection Condition
These are two separate conditions in your offer. A financing condition protects you if your mortgage doesn't come through. An inspection condition protects you if the home's condition turns up problems you didn't expect. Waiving either to make your offer more competitive is a real trade-off worth thinking through, not a formality.
Buying Soon?
We'll walk through which conditions actually protect you in your specific offer. Talk to Sean before you submit.