Here is a great list that can help with evaluating homes for FHA financing buyers:
FHA Appraiser Checklist
When viewing a property, an appraiser is required to note those repairs necessary to make the property compliant with FHA's minimum property requirements. The appraiser determines whether repairs, alterations or inspections are necessary. Some conditions automatically require repair. Above everything else, make sure the water and the electricity are turned on!
Some require further inspection by an expert, and some conditions are considered only to be cosmetic. Repairs that are automatically required involve the protection of the HEALTH and SAFETY of the occupants and the SECURITY and SOUNDNESS of the property.
Conditions where repairs are automatically required:
a) Inadequate access /egress from bedrooms to exterior of home. Example: burglar bars that can't be opened from the inside
b) Leaking or worn out roofs
c) Structural problems such as foundation damage caused by excessive settlement
d) Defective paint interior and exterior surfaces in home constructed pre-1978, such as lead based paint chips
e) Defective exterior paint surfaces in post 1978 construction such as bare wood
f) Windows that won't stay open or are missing cranks
Examples of minor property conditions that no longer require automatic repair for existing properties include, but are not limited to:
a) Missing handrails
b) Cracked or damaged exit doors that are otherwise operable
c) Cracked window glass
d) Defective paint surfaces in homes constructed post 1978
e) Minor plumbing leaks (such as leaky faucets)
f) Defective floor finish or covering (worn through the finish, badly soiled carpeting)
g) Evidence of previous (non-active) Wood Destroying Insect/Organism damage where there is no evidence of unrepaired structural damage
h) Rotten or worn out counter tops
i) Damaged plaster, sheetrock or other wall and ceiling materials in homes constructed post-1978
j) Poor workmanship
k) Trip hazards (cracked or partially heaving sidewalks, poorly installed carpeting)
l) Crawl space with debris and trash
m) Lack of an all weather driveway surface
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