What Exactly Does an FHA Home Inspector Do?

Are you applying for an FHA loan? If you qualify for a loan through the FHA, your property needs to undergo an inspection first — otherwise known as an appraisal. Does this sound rather scary to you? All FHA appraisals are done by an FHA home inspector. The entire process is extremely structured and FHA guidelines are strictly followed by inspectors.

What to Expect During an FHA Home Inspection

It’s important that you know what to expect during a home inspection performed by the Federal Housing Administration. Their inspectors are fully educated and trained concerning every detail of home inspections. An average inspection typically lasts between two and four hours. Your home must be approved before the FHA will give you a loan or before a loan can be offered to a buyer who aims to purchase your home.

An FHA home inspector has a specific purpose. Their findings help the agency determine your home’s current market value, despite what it may have been listed for in the past or what it could go for in the future. Such an inspection also determines whether the property and house meet the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s minimum living standards. An FHA home inspector must be licensed and HUD-approved in order to inspect a home for FHA appraisals.

Appraisals Determine the Current Market Value

It takes a comparison of recently-sold homes similar to yours to determine the current market value of your property. A recent list of sales for homes that have a similar layout to yours will be obtained. The idea is to determine loan limits through an area’s cost of living. This is all a part of home inspection services.

Be Prepared For Photos to Be Taken by an FHA Home Inspector

A home inspection includes having photos taken of your home. You can trust an FHA home inspector to respect your privacy while they take the necessary shots of your home. You can also prepare ahead of time and make sure those areas are photographable. Photos will be taken of the front, back, and sides of your home, as well as decks, pools, value-increasing home improvements. Comparable homes in the area will also be photographed. Finally, an aerial street map photo is required unless an actual copy of a map is available. If the home is new construction, the photos will focus on elevation levels in terms of the lot grade.

What Is Most Essential to the Value of a Home?

Appearance, functionality, and safety are regarded as three of the most important factors when inspecting a home. An inspector for the FHA will examine your home both inside and out. Be prepared to have your roof, heating and cooling system, foundation, crawl spaces, lot grade, and mechanical systems checked. The condition of bathrooms, appliances, kitchen fixtures, wall paint, sills and window frames, and driveway condition taken into account. All of these things should be in great condition and proper working order or the FHA may not give loan approval.

The Rest of an FHA Inspection

Finally, FHA inspections focus on safety checks and any potential safety issues. A few of those aspects that are checked include staircases and handrails, as well as property slope (so as to determine the likelihood of flooding or water damage). Are windows in every bedroom so there is access to the outside in case of a fire? Peeling or damaged paint must be repaired and the foundation should be free of problems such as significant cracks. The good news is that the FHA allows repairs if your home doesn’t meet proper safety checks after an appraisal. Once those repairs are made, then financing can happen.

Although this is a lot to take in, it’s important to make necessary changes and know what to expect prior to your inspection. With this information in mind, you can go into your FHA home inspection feeling prepared and confident. For more information, please contact us today.