If you're looking at using your" life savings" and from your comments, I see that this is your first house buying experience, what better investment are you going to make other than having the house inspected regardless of cost? There are always going to be foundation or other problems or some other issue that will arise over time but if you go into the deal with all the information at your disposal, you will at least start with a clear idea of what you have to work with.

Clay soils have their own issues regardless of where in the country you find them but basing your buying decision on one house "down the block" without knowing the maintenance history behind that one structure is just looking for an excuse to keep looking.

Please don't think I'm getting on your case but after being a homeowner for 50+ years and dealing with single and small multifamily real estate across the US for 20+ years before I retired (not as a realtor), and anytime someone says they don't want to investigate every possible aspect of buying a home because it's too expensive, I tend to say that whatever it costs to get all the inspections necessary before you sign on the dotted line is the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy. Those inspections will also give you a basis of any changes that happen going forward as the years go by. It also gives you a valid bargaining point with the seller should those inspections find something (bad) that the owner "forgot to mention" during the mandatory seller's condition statement usually required by law.

Hmm, well, quite contrary, I do want to investigate every aspect. I have done so on a previous property and if I do too many more, I won't be able to keep shopping since winter is coming.

I'm not asking whether or not I should skip the inspection. I am asking whether seeing that alone is enough to know the inspection is going to come back with news that would cause me to walk away.

I mean, if there are people with more experience that can tell that those cracks are bad news, then why waste the money? If it's something that is common, then I'd like to know it. If there really is no telling without an expert on site, then that's fine too. Just thought it was worth asking, in case there is a , "Oh that's very common because xyz" answer, or a "That's something to be very concerned about" answer.

In this city, there are other homes that are not in the clay soil area, that are less likely to have problems. I'd just have to save up some more to get them.

But rest assured, the question is not about whether or not I should get it inspected at all. If I go forward, there will be inspections of all kinds.

Pictures might help.

All concrete slabs crack at one time or another.

To me it appears that you are describing what is known as Scalling or Scaling. It happens a lot where water gets into concrete and freezes. The use of salts or other ice melting substance can cause it also, What happens is when concrete is finished and smoothed it forms a thin layer of mortar on top of the aggregate (gravel) and ounce water enters a small crack it separates the two. Thus causing mostly circles to form like this where the mortar flakes off.

It does not cause a lot of damage to the slab itself unless it is left unattended for years to the point that the aggregate begins to separate.

That looks to me more like the parging (or finish coat) of cement then the foundation.

+1 on Millworkman's thoughts.

It does appear to be more the parging is separating than foundation.

Parge is a thin coat of cement that is a lot like Stucco. It is applied to smooth and refine concrete work and block foundations.

So, what makes "parging" come apart like that? Is it an indication of a problem? Is it expensive to fix? The house is 2002. I haven't seen this with the other houses I've been looking at. It is also pretty rare we get into freezing temperatures here in Austin, TX