Short answer: No, FHA loans do not require a traditional home inspection. But they do require a property appraisal to estimate the home’s market value, and to check it for structural safety and soundness.
The 7 Most Important Points in This Guide
Here are the seven most important points to take away from this guide:
- FHA-insured mortgage loans do not require a full home inspection.
- You can use an FHA loan to buy a house without having an inspection.
- But the FHA will encourage you to get one, using form HUD-92564-CN.
- The home will have to be appraised to determine its market value and condition.
- The appraiser will evaluate the home using FHA’s Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs).
- The MPRs mostly focus on health and safety issues and structural soundness.
- While it’s not required for an FHA loan, a home inspection can still benefit the buyer.
Difference Between Appraisals and Inspections
Borrowers should understand the difference between a home appraisal and a home inspection, within the context of FHA loans.
This is a source of confusion, so we need to keep the terminology straight:
- Home inspection: The primary purpose is to determine the overall condition of the property. It gives home buyers more insight into the property condition, so they can make an informed buying decision. Inspections are generally not required for getting a mortgage loan.
- Home appraisal: The primary purpose is to determine the market value of the house. The appraiser does this by looking at recent and comparable sales in the area, among other things. Most mortgage loans do require a property appraisal, and that includes the FHA program.
So while the FHA does not require home inspections, they do require an appraisal to determine the market value and overall condition of the property.
FHA Loans Do Not Require an Inspection
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires mortgage lenders to give FHA loan applicants a disclosure document that explains the key differences between a property appraisal and a home inspection.
It’s called form HUD-92564-CN, and you can view it online.
Here’s a relevant quote from that mandatory disclosure:
“A home inspection will only occur if you arrange for one; FHA does not perform home inspections… An appraisal is required to estimate the home’s value for your lender and does not replace a home inspection.”
All borrowers who use an FHA loan to purchase a home will receive a home inspection disclosure document from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is one of several documents lenders are required to give borrowers who use this particular program.
This disclosure goes on to clarify the difference between appraisals and inspections, as we have already discussed above. It explains that:
“Appraisals estimate the value of the property for lenders. An appraisal is required to ensure the property is marketable. Home inspections evaluate the condition of the home for buyers.”
FYI: HUD requires mortgage lenders to provide this disclosure “to prospective homebuyers at first contact, be it for pre-qualification, pre-approval, or initial application.”
But the Home Will Have to Be Appraised
To recap, the FHA does not specifically require a home inspection for FHA loans.
But they do require a mandatory appraisal for all homes, which includes a basic assessment of the property.
Definition: A home appraisal is an unbiased estimate of how much a home is actually worth in today’s real estate market.
It’s performed by a licensed appraiser who looks at the home’s overall condition, features, size, and location, and compares it to similar homes that have sold nearby recently.
The main purpose of an appraisal is to protect a home buyer (and their mortgage lender) from paying (or lending) more money for a house than it is worth.
But FHA home appraisals go one step further. When an FHA loan is being used, the appraiser must also review the home to make sure that it meets HUD’s minimum property requirements.
But this required appraisal is not the same thing as a home inspection.
How Buyers Can Benefit from an Inspection
Even though a home inspection isn’t mandatory or required for FHA loans, it’s still highly recommended.
When compared to an appraisal, a traditional home inspection can give you a much deeper insight into the property’s overall condition.
During this process, a knowledgeable inspector with a “trained eye” will evaluate many aspects of the home to identify damage, safety issues, or items in need of repair.
Remember: Even though the FHA appraisal evaluates the property for safety and livability, it doesn’t have the same depth and focus as a dedicated home inspection.
Key Points Covered in This Guide
If you only remember a few things from this guide, make it these:
- A full home inspection is generally not required for FHA-insured mortgage loans. But if you do get one, it will take place shortly after the offer has been accepted.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development strongly encourages buyers to have a full property inspection, and they issue a written disclosure to this effect.
- FHA loans do require a property appraisal in order to determine the market value of the house, and to ensure that the property is marketable (in the event that resale becomes necessary).
- An FHA appraiser’s primary objective is to determine market value, but they’ll also evaluate the condition of the home to ensure the health and safety of the occupant.
Disclaimer: The information provided above has been adapted from official HUD handbooks, disclosures, and documents. The loan process can vary from one borrower to the next, so portions of this guide might not apply to your situation. This information is intended for a general audience and does not constitute financial advice.
