Home inspections in Northern Virginia typically cost $400 to $600 in 2026, depending on square footage. This cost should not be a place to find savings—it is your primary protection in a sight-unseen purchase. The inspector should conduct a live video walkthrough with you during the inspection, not just deliver a report afterward. Verify the inspector is licensed through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation before hiring. For a sight-unseen buyer, the value of real-time narration and direct questions to the inspector far exceeds the inspection fee.