Should I ever waive the home inspection?

Waiving the inspection is rarely a good idea, even in a competitive market, since it removes your only real chance to find a serious defect before you are legally committed to the purchase. Some buyers waive it specifically to compete for a home, choosing instead to do an informal walkthrough or a pre-inspection before writing the offer. That approach still carries real risk on anything the walkthrough cannot detect, like electrical or plumbing issues behind walls. Talk through the tradeoff with your agent before deciding how to write your specific offer.