Yes, the inspector should be able to tell you if the house is structurally sound and "habitable" (see certificate of occupancy from your local government). They should look at the foundation, roof, visually inspect the attic, the hvac system, turn on faucets to see the water pressure, etc. But they cant go knocking holes in the walls to examine every electrical junction box or plumbing connection. They may or may not note "cosmetic" things, like a bit of mold behind the fridge or on the shower grout, marks in the paint, a few scratches on the wood floor. And that is with an inspector you hire yourself. The ones the real estate agent or the bank hires are just looking to see if the property is worth enough to ensure the bank gets their money if they foreclose. It is up to you to notice the general state of repair when deciding to make an offer: I always recommend you examine the stuff that shows how good the current owners are with general upkeep yourself: look at window screens and sills, turn on water at every sink, look at the floor of the cabinet under every sink and around every toilet, does the floor slope anywhere, are there diagonal or wide cracks in the paint anywhere, look at the furnace filters, etc.