5 years back a good friend that so happens to be a doctor and a man that invests quite a bit in real estate, urged me to go with a variable, I opted for the fixed but I would have saved a couple thousand had I taken his advice.
Appraisals here are pretty simple, if the dwelling is standing it will meet minimum requirements for lending, however if the mortgage amount appears excessive a private appraisal may be necessary, we didn't need an appraisal for this last home, the city assessment was fine for the amount we needed.
If the bank requires a home inspection, do yourself a favour a research one and hire them yourself, the ones the realtors point you toward are always working with the realtors best interest in mind of "closing the deal".