They suggest relying on the inspection contingency instead.Is this a common practice right now, or is it specific to my area?

During inspections we were able to negotiate a $17,000 seller credit.

Physical property inspection, on the other hand, includes checking out the property's state, walking through each unit, and figuring out what repairs or renovations need to be done.It's smart to get professional help to make sure that the assessments you make during due research are correct.

Next I would definitely walk the property extremely thoroughly, look for foundation problems, roof, hvac, appliances, every sqft of the property should be inspected. 

Found an all-cash buyer for full asking price and as-is (no updates needed after inspection).

Some things popup of course and former tenants hide things, I think your checkout inspection was lacking. 

Many small multis are older and a full inspection including sewer scope is a good idea.3.

I would give written notice to the tenant of the violation, and then perform a property inspection in 30 days to see if you still see evidence of the violation.

Doing a home inspection on a potential investment property.

It's very, very hard to win with a FHA loan in New Jersey now because there is a lot of competition and the properties need to be in good shape to pass FHA inspections.