Recently revised FHA requirements focus on health, safety and structural integrity issues. The purpose of a repair is to correct deficiencies that may affect the health and safety of the occupants or the continued marketability of the property. If possible, we suggest that you make any repairs to your home prior to the appraisal. This will improve the marketability and help the sale or refinance of your home go smoothly.

The most common FHA repairs:
• If the home was built prior to 1978, chipping, peeling paint must be scraped and painted. This includes interior, exterior, garages, sheds, fences, etc.
• Roof should have 2-3 years of useful life remaining and no more than 2 layers of shingles. If the home is over 10 years old, you must remove snow from a large portion of the roof for inspection by the appraiser.
• The cause of wet basements should be cured (e.g., improve drainage away from house, gutters, etc.).
• Abandoned inoperable wells must be capped and sealed by a licensed well sealing contractor.
• Infestation of any kind should be exterminated (e.g., insects, mice, bats, etc.).
• Damaged or inoperable plumbing, electric and heating systems should be repaired. The appraiser will check these areas.
• Structural or foundation problems must be repaired.
• Flammable storage tanks must be removed and filler cap sealed from the inside (e.g., buried oil tank).
• If there is a crawl space or attic, it will be the homeowner's responsibility to make this area accessible so that it can be thoroughly inspected.

This is just a brief summary of potential FHA concerns. Each home must be independently viewed and assessed. For more detailed information, visit HUD.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires appraisals for all FHA-insured loans, except Streamline refinances. Though the qualifications of an appraiser will vary, HUD requires a minimum standard to be met by all FHA-approved appraisers to include additional education and training, state licensing or certification, and approval by the lender to conduct FHA appraisals.