The top ten questions I get asked
Would you buy this house?
Simple answer. Nope. I already have a house, and my wife would kill me, because after years of working very hard to make our house a home, she's not ready to pack up quite yet. The larger answer is more complicated. House styles, sizes, and your particular needs are the parameters for choosing the house you are getting inspected. I never look at a house with the idea of whether or not I would purchase it myself, but I do spend a lot of time on particular components and how serviceable they are.
That darn furnace fan runs all the time. I want it turned off!
That recirculating furnace fan (often called the summer fan) are in a way, the "lungs" of your home. They allow air flow to travel between floors, causing your lower levels and your upper levels to be more equalized in heat values. As well, the recirculating furnace fan and a humidifier in the bathroom will work hard at removing excess air moisture from the house, which will stop mold and mildew from gathering in areas such as bathrooms and windows. Quite often new homeowners think it's an extra expense to keep these fans running. In actuality, having these fans running all the time will lower your heating bill by not having to heat the excessive moisture and make your home much more comfortable to live in.
I don't like the paint color. What should we do?
Cosmetic aspects such as paint color could be considered deal-breakers if you haven't budgeted for changing items such as this, but they don't have to be. Normally, over the course of a year or two or three, a family will make these changes, (such as flooring or paint or lighting fixtures) to make the house more theirs. When my wife and I built our home we spent all our money on the things that we couldn't change, such as the exterior walls and trus-joist floor joists. We're still in the process of changing things slowly, even after over years of living there.
Why shouldn't the roof just drain right into the perimeter drain?
If debris such as dirt and leaves gather in gutters, then travel down the downpipe and directly into the pipe under the ground, how do you clean that? That area can get clogged. By diverting the water onto the splash guards water is diverted away from the house and the earth will filter the debris.
ARC fault and Ground Fault Breakers. You said to test them monthly. I can't remember how!
That being said, it probably means you aren't checking them monthly! (I know, I'm guilty too. But, nevertheless, it's a good practice) All GFCIs, whether local or central, have two testing-related buttons on them. One button is appropriately labeled TEST, and one is labeled RESET. Turn on an appliance or light fixture connected to the GFCI. Press the TEST button, and the appliance should immediately turn off. Pressing the RESET button will restore power to the appliance or circuit.
If it won't trip or reset, call an electrician.
How do I get rid of that bad smell in the crawlspace?
There's several reasons for having a smelly crawlspace. If you think you have crawl space mold or moisture problems of any kind, it's a good idea to call in the specialists, who can install specially designed vapor barriers or solve the problem by using encapsulators. It's also possible you may have a pest problem. It's a good idea to check to see if the problem is a moisture problem or an animal problem.
Air filtration plays an important part in drying out and creating a healthier crawl space environment. Again, proper ventilation is quite often the key to a healthy, happy home.
I love the landscaping and all that ivy on the side of the house. But you're telling me it has to go. What happens if I don't want to?
Sorry to be so mean about the ivy, but over time, it very definitely will cause damage. The most obvious potential for damage is from the tendrils themselves. They will gradually penetrate mortar joints or stucco. On wooden or vinyl siding, they will just get under the siding, pulling it away. Plants are amazingly strong given time to work. This may let moisture in. At the very least, the ivy will cause problems, by helping bugs (such as carpenter ants) into your walls. They like moist conditions. Birds also like to build their nests on the ivy as well, and squirrels find ivy an easy way to navigate into roof vents. It's like a superhighway for rodents into roofs. If you try to pull the ivy off, it will damage your siding. Expect discoloration at the very least. More likely, expect it to take pieces of your house with it as it comes away. Keep ivy and other invasive vegetation off your buildings. It may look pretty, but it is bad news.
I want to gut the basement. Is this a DIY?
Doing it yourself is dependent on many factors. How much experience you have in renovations or building, if you can recognize a structural or supporting wall, and have lots of time. For many projects it's a good idea to get quotes, ideas, and professional advice. CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) has published a guide to renovations that would be very useful to you when finishing a basement. The "Healthy Housing Renovation Planner" provides information on how to plan a renovation that will be healthy and energy-efficient, along with technical recommendations on how to renovate each part of the home.
How do you light the pilot on the fireplace?
If you've got a gas fireplace in your house, and the pilot is not lit, I'm going to do some investigation right away to find out if it's a problem, or not. In any case, it's a good idea to watch and ask during an inspection for a little "how to" lesson. 
Generally, lighting a pilot light is pretty much the same for all gas fireplaces, but there might be slight differences. Ask me to show you how during the inspection.
How can I learn more about the renovations I want to do?
www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho
This government site (from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) has a lot of great ideas for general maintenance and repair and ideas that won't necessarily drive you to one particular company or another. It's a good practice to check references as well, once you've made a decision on a renovation company.