Have you ever had "that" home. The one where you aren't "quite" sure is it will go FHA or DVA or Rural Housing due to the small iniquities that it sports? Perhaps the home is older and a bit dated. Perhaps the home is just well used with little upkeep. Perhaps there is something truly apparent that makes you just kinda take a deep breath and know that the home will be teetering on the possibility of failing it's appraisal inspection. So where does that leave you? Let's look at this clue.
In the last week I had an appraisal scheduled on one of my listings and received the following message from the appraiser with the viewing request. It is kinda hard to take in as the appraiser wrote it all in CAPS and it came as one giant paragraph, but it is chalk full of great tips to passing an FHA appraisal and inspection that are worth delving into.
For the sake of reading thru it I am going to break it into bullet points, but I'm leaving it in the appraiser's own font and lettering. So, take note, if you are selling your home and want to know if you are gonna pass the test? Here's the appraisers words... this is what they are looking for:
**FHA INSPECTION ****
- ATTIC ACCESS NEEDS TO BE OPEN.
- THE WATER NEEDS TO BE TURNED ON.
- THERE NEEDS TO BE A CO DETECTOR WITHIN 10' OF EACH BEDROOM ON ALL LEVELS.
- ALL SMOKE DETECTORS NEED TO BE IN WORKING CONDITION.
- THE WATER HEATER NEEDS TO HAVE THE PRESSURE RELIEF PIPE IN PLACE.
- THE AUTO REVERSE NEEDS TO BE WORKING ON THE GARAGE DOOR OPENERS.
- THERE CAN BE NO RAW WOOD SHOWING, PEELING OR CHIPPING PAINT ON THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE HOME. THIS ALSO INCLUDES WOOD TRIM AROUND EXTERIOR DOORS, DETACHED BUILDINGS, DECKS, WOOD FENCES AND SHEDS. IF THE PAINT IS SANDED ALL PAINT CHIPS NEED TO BE PICKED UP OFF OF THE GROUND.
- THE AREA AROUND THE SUMP PUMP NEEDS TO BE CLEARED OUT SO IT CAN BE OBSERVED.
- THE CIRCUIT BOX AREA NEEDS TO BE CLEAR OUT SO ACCESS IS AVAILABLE.
- ALL APLLIANCES: WASHER, DRYER, STOVE, MICRO-WAVE, OVEN AND REFRIGERATOR ALL NEED TO BE PLUGGED IN AND WORKING SO THEY CAN BE TESTED.
- IF THERE IS A GARAGE HEATER THE GAS NEEDS TO BE TURNED ON AND PLUGGED IN WITH DIRECTIONS ON WHERE TO TURN IT ON SO IT CAN BE TESTED.
- IF THE HOME HAS A GAS FIREPLACE THE GAS NEEDS TO BE TURNED ON AND THE PILOT LITE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A NOTE LEFT FOR THE APPRAISER TO TELL THE APPRAISER HOW IT OPERATES.
- "IF" THERE IS A PATIO DOOR UP OFF THE GROUND WITHOUT A DECK THERE NEEDS TO BE A BLOCK SECURED.
THANKS!
If you are getting ready to sell your home - or if you are working toward an FHA financed purchase - these are items that they are going to care about. Knowing this will save everyone a wee bit of a headache during the transaction if they are taken care of prior to listing the home or before appraisal takes place.
This is a great cheat sheet and a lot of helpful information to help any sale go a little more smoothly at the end of the day.
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