HUD/FHA/VA Inspections

[lasser]

Ok!..here goes !

A client engages me to perform an Inspection on a home they are intrested in buying....they are trying to obtain HUD/FHA/VA financing....QUERRY: Will the HUD/FHA/VA and/or lending institutes regconize my inspection or does it have to be done by a HUD/FHA/VA Home Inspector Inspector to be regconized ???...Iam a certified Inspector.... (this is just a sample)

Orvin Dove

o.d@fuse.net

[Michael Brown]

Hi Orvin,

No, you don't have to be HUD certified to do VA or HUD inspections - you only need to be a professional inspector who provides an actual report. That means they want to see a professional document that covers all of the components of the house and shows the results of the inspection on paper. There is no set format, but you can't go wrong if you follow the standard of practice of any of the major home inspection associations. All of their SOPs provide sufficient coverage to satisfy any HUD lender.

HUD used to require inspectors to be certified by them, but that stopped about three years ago for everything except 203K inspections.

HUD has a very good basic inspection manual that provides you some insight into what kind of detail they inspect. I've included the link below. However, this is a 162 page pdf document, so if you want it you're going to have to be patient after you click on the link, because it takes a looong time to load and you'll need to make sure you've got plenty of toner and paper in your printer and a very stable connection.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

HUD Residential Inspection Rehab Guide

P.S.

Orvin, I'd meant to remark that I could see that your keyboard is giving you fits. Happens to all of us - not all of us can type that well - so check out the link below for a neat little spell checker tool that you can use before posting. Just get the tool, install it on your computer and then right click on any messages that you post before you post them. It will go through your text, find the words that are misspelled and give you the correct spelling. Then, just click 'change' and it corrects each word and moves to the next.

http://www.iespell.com

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by lasser

Ok!..here goes !

A client engages me to perform an Inspection on a home they are intrested in buying....they are trying to obtain HUD/FHA/VA financing....QUERRY: Will the HUD/FHA/VA and/or lending institutes regconize my inspection or does it have to be done by a HUD/FHA/VA Home Inspector Inspector to be regconized ???...Iam a certified Inspector.... (this is just a sample)

Orvin Dove

o.d@fuse.net

I don't think that HUD or VA requires a home inspection. Are you sure that they are not talking about an appraisal?

[Michael Brown]

Hi Scott,

I think you are right. HUD only recommends that the home be inspected.

However, the problem that inspectors run into - and I've run into it myself - is that some banks and lending institutions will not loan money on a HUD/FHA home until it's been inspected. Then, they expect everything in the inspector's report to get fixed before they'll allow the home to go to closing. Because HUD used to require that any inspectors doing inspections on HUD homes be HUD certified, banks and lenders who are not familiar with the change are still demanding that inspectors be certified.

It's a matter of educating a whole lot of bankers and lenders who are dead set in their ways and a lot of them would prefer not to be educated 'cuz it makes it easier on them.

We don't see too many HUD/FHA deals in the Seattle area. When I get called for them, I tell the prospective client to check with the lender to see if the lender will be obstinate about whether the inspector is 'certified'. I tell 'em that if the lender says that the inspector 'must be' HUD/FHA certified, to explain the changes to the lender. If the lender insists on still being obstinate, don't bother calling me back - just keep looking around until he or she can find someone that had gone through that process before.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Roy Angevine]

But in Washington State that inspector must be or also be a licensed pest inspector under the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by Roy Angevine

But in Washington State that inspector must be or also be a licensed pest inspector under the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Kind of screwy, don't you think!

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by Roy Angevine

But in Washington State that inspector must be or also be a licensed pest inspector under the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

The more I have thought about this the stranger it becomes. Some thoughts I have:

Now does this mean PC contractor can do home inspections without being a licensed home inspector?

Why not have a home inspection license only that has nothing to do with pest control?

What was the reasoning, if any behind this law?

Don't the true pest control contractor dislike this law as it is taking business away from them?

[kasterko]

Mike,

While I'm downloading the mega-document, what is the basic story on 203K inspections. A test, grandfathered by being a member of an association or society?

Thanx,

[Michael Brown]

Hi Jim,

Well, it's a pretty closely guarded secret. All of the rules are hidden within 24CRF200.926d and in HUD Handbook 4905.1.

To make it easier for you, I just went over to the HUD site, tracked down the page with the basic information:

How to become a 203K Consultant

Basically, you have to be a remodeling contractor, general contractor or a home inspector with 3 years of experience. You have to complete a HUD course for 203K consultants and then you have to apply to be accepted as a consultant. Once you are, you are placed on their list of approved inspectors. Work then comes on a rotating basis from whoever is doling out inspections in your area.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike