Contract : This section of the report states whether the appraiser analyzed the sales contract.

Subject : In this portion of the form, basic information is shown such as the address of the property to be appraised, who the borrower is, who currently owns the house, what the real estate taxes are for the home, who the lender is, and whether or not the house has been up for sale within the past twelve months.

What type of information is on the home appraisal report? Once the appraiser has all the information they need, they write up their findings on a form called the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report, and the completed report is then sent to the buyer’s lender for the next steps in finalizing the loan amount. When sellers make repairs and upgrades before the appraisal inspection, they are better equipped for a smooth sale. However, it is a list of the most common issues that may arise. This is not a complete checklist of what a home appraiser will look for in the home. Additionally, a VA-certified appraiser assigned by the Department of Veterans Affairs must complete the home appraisal for a VA loan.

Appropriate living spaces, including the kitchen, living room, and bedroomsĪny safety or health concerns or needed repairs will slow down and possibly stop the closing process until the buyer or seller fixes them.

A water heater, clean drinking water, and a sewage system.

VA home appraisal inspections have their own set of standards for acceptable home conditions, which include:

Any exterior outlets must be grounded plugs or GFCI outlets designed for bathrooms, kitchens, and garages.

Any outlets within 10 feet of a water source, which must be replaced with GFCI outlets.

Sidewalk or driveway damage, which must be corrected.Holes in the siding or roof, which must be repaired.Water damage caused by leaks in the foundation, plumbing, or roof.Peeling or chipped paint, especially lead-based paint in homes built before 1979, must be scraped and painted.

This requirement affects both the buyer and the seller because the home loan process absolutely cannot progress until these repairs are completed. The biggest difference is that any repairs issue found during the inspection must be completed before closing. FHA Home Appraisal ChecklistįHA appraisals are a little different and have special requirements. Loan specific home appraisalsĭepending on the type of home loan you’re approved for, your loan may have additional or specific requirements that may be on the home appraiser’s checklist. The home’s square footage does not typically include garages and basements unless these spaces have a closet and egress window, which allows them to be counted as a bedroom or liveable space.

Permanent upgrades (home addition, kitchen island, built-in shelves).

Material and conditions of the windows, floors, and walls.

Quality and condition of the plumbing and electrical systems.

Any peeling paint if the house was built before 1979 to ensure compliance with lead-based paint laws.

The functional condition of the HVAC system.

Amount of livable space, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms to ensure these numbers match the property description.

Condition of the pool and other exterior amenities.

Quality of the landscaping (trimmed bushes, mowed lawn).

Total acreage or land area of the property, to ensure actual measurements match the property description.

Below is a more detailed checklist of what a home appraiser may look at both inside and outside the home. If appraisers have concerns about any of these items, they may order a specific inspection to determine the problem’s scope.

Visible defects (foggy windows, holes in the wall or floor).

Upgrades or improvements (new cabinets, countertops, flooring).The physical condition of the home (paint, roof, fencing, etc.).They will then write up their report and submit it to the lender between 7 – 10 days, but how long the appraisal takes depends on the housing market is in your area. They measure each room and the lot the property sits on while photographing each room and the exterior of the home. Contact a Redfin agent What happens during a home appraisal process?ĭuring the home appraisal process, the appraiser makes a thorough inspection of the house, inside and which usually takes about 1 – 3 hours to complete depending on the size of the house and property.

Home appraisers checklist