FHA loan rules require the lender to set the loan amount based on either the appraised value of the home or the asking price-whichever of those two numbers is the lower amount.
An FHA appraisal will typically result in a lower home value than a conventional appraisal. This is because the FHA has stricter guidelines for what properties they will insure.
FHA mortgage appraisals are more rigorous than standard home appraisals. Whether you're looking at refinancing an FHA loan, buying a house with an FHA loan or even selling to someone who will be using an FHA loan, you'll want to understand what these appraisals entail.
Structure Quality. The overall structure of the property must be in good enough condition to keep its occupants safe. This means severe structural damage, leakage, dampness, decay or termite damage can cause the property to fail inspection. In such a case, repairs must be made in order for the FHA loan to move forward.
In general, FHA appraisals are good for up to 120 days. In some instances, an appraiser can recertify the value if they agree to do so before the original appraisal expires.
Some of the more common issues that pop up from an FHA appraisal are peeling paint and unsafe access points to areas of a home. There cannot be any peeling paint on the exterior of your home. This will get flagged by the appraiser.
The Mortgagee must obtain appraisal field reviews on at least 10 percent of FHA-insured Mortgages selected for origination and underwriting QC review.
Therefore, the appraiser will most likely know the selling price of a home but this is not always the case. There are times that we have appraised properties for private sales where both the buyer and seller have declined to provide this information.
Reasons Sellers Don't Like FHA Loans
Both reasons have to do with the strict guidelines imposed because FHA loans are government-insured loans. For one, if the home is appraised for less than the agreed-upon price, the seller must reduce the selling price to match the appraised price, or the deal will fall through.
Just keep your communication to the appraiser about the facts of the home and neighborhood, how you priced the house, and any other relevant information you think the appraiser should know. And remember, don't discuss value. Don't pressure the appraiser to 'hit the value' and you'll be fine.
Appraisal is lower than the offer: If the home appraises for less than the agreed-upon sale price, the lender won't approve the loan. In this situation, buyers and sellers need to come to a mutually beneficial solution that will hold the deal together — more on that later.
If a borrower has insufficient funds to cover the down payment and/or closing costs, the FHA loan might fall through. Lenders usually discover this kind of issue on the front end, when the borrower first applies for a loan.
FHA loans tend to have higher closing costs than conventional loans, but because FHA loans allow the seller to pay for more of your closing costs than conventional loans, they may actually be cheaper.
The reason behind this is to ensure that lenders want to make sure that the property purchased using these insured mortgages is well maintained, and secure. Conventional appraisal doesn't take into account the fact whether the property purchased is safe and secure or not.
Sellers often prefer conventional buyers because of their own financial views. Because a conventional loan typically requires higher credit and more money down, sellers often deem these reasons as a lower risk to default and traits of a trustworthy buyer.
FHA Appraisals can be used if the borrowers transfers the FHA into a conventional loan. However, a conventional loan cannot be transferred if the borrower converts to an FHA loan.
An FHA-approved appraiser ensures that the home meets the government's safety and livability standards. The rules aren't onerous, but are a bit more strict than those that apply to some other loan types. FHA appraisal requirements can seem a little intimidating since they're key to getting your FHA mortgage.
The short answer is yes. Industry data show that FHA loans do take longer to close than conventional, at least on average. But the difference between their average closing times is typically just a matter of days.
Maybe. Some sellers still look at FHA loans negatively, viewing them as loans of last resort for borrowers with weak credit. They worry that FHA deals are less likely to close because of this.
Let's be clear: a Zillow estimate is not an appraisal. It's a computer-generated estimate based on the available data. While many home buyers will consider Zestimate when looking for a home, they should also factor in a professional real estate estimate.
Low home appraisals do not occur often. According to Fannie Mae, appraisals come in low less than 8 percent of the time, and many of these low appraisals are renegotiated higher after an appeal, Graham says.
Lenders want to ensure the homes they're financing are worth the prices being paid, which is the major reason for property appraisals. Though there's no law against paying more than a property's appraised value, mortgage lenders almost never loan more than that value.
Another common question is: How long does the FHA home appraisal process take? In most cases, the appraisal can be completed within a matter of days. But this will depend on the appraiser's workload, efficiency, and other factors. The property visit itself usually only takes a few hours.
How long after appraisal does it take to close? It typically takes two weeks after appraisal to close a mortgage. But this isn't a promise. Your mortgage underwriting process could take longer if you have a low credit score or are self-employed and need to submit tax transcripts to document your income.
After the home appraisal is completed, the next step is mortgage underwriting. The underwriter reviews the loan file to make sure everything is in order and that all the required documents have been submitted.