Kentucky FHA Acceptable Sources of Heat for Appraisals

Kentucky FHA Acceptable Sources of Heat for A FHA Mortgage Loan Approval

Many people ask me what types of heat sources are okay for homes where the borrower is using FHA to finance the property.

Here’s the information – and by the way, USDA (Rural Housing) uses FHA rules listed below as their heat source guidelines too.

General Guidelines

• All habitable rooms must have a heat source

• Certain areas of the country do not require a heat source if normal for the area (i.e., Hawaii, certain counties in Florida)

Wood Stoves & Solar Systems

• Acceptable with certification that they were installed according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Must ALSO have a conventional heat source in all living areas.

• Must also have a heat source to maintain 50 degrees F in rooms where plumbing is located.

(Example: electric baseboard heat in bathroom, kitchen and basement/crawl space where plumbing pipes are located.)

Floor Heaters

• Acceptable

• If needs repairs or insufficient heat source for home, will require upgrade to conventional heat system.

Non-conventional Heating Systems

• Space heaters or non-conventional heat sources must comply with local codes.

• If does not comply, conventional heating system must be installed.

Propane Tanks

• Must be located a safe distance from the home.

• Must have ownership of propane tank UNLESS only leased tanks are available and normal for the area.

• Propane furnaces located in crawl space or basement is not acceptable.

I’m sure I have not covered every possibility but give me a call if you have any questions or reservations about listing a home that you think may not have an acceptable source of heat.

https://birminghamappraisalblog.com/faqs/what-is-the-fha-rule-for-heating-and-cooling-systems/

Kentucky FHA Home Appraisal Checklist

 

Kentucky FHA appraisals can take home buyers by surprise. That’s why we've put together some good-to-know info about the process. Feel free to use this to help educate your clients. 

Your Kentucky  FHA Home Appraisal Checklist 

 

If you’re using an Kentucky FHA loan to buy a home (or selling to FHA borrowers), the property must pass an FHA appraisal, which determines the current market value and makes sure the house meets certain safety standards. Here is a list of items an FHA appraiser may look for:

 

General Health and Safety

• Foundation or structural defects
• Whether the utilities (water, sewage, heat, and electricity) all work
• Chipped or peeling paint in homes built before 1978
• Incomplete renovations
• Water damage
• If the property is accessible to vehicles, especially emergency vehicles
• Exposed wiring and uncovered junction boxes
• Whether the house is too close to outside hazards, such as a leaking oil tank or a waste dump
• Excessive noise, such as being close to an airport
• Missing handrails

Exterior

• Leaky or defective roof and holes in the siding
• Leaning or broken fencing 
• Doors that don’t properly open or close
• Condition of gutters, chimney, stairs, railings, and porches
• If swimming pools are up to code 

Every Room

• Whether each room has electricity
• Whether each room has a window or door to the exterior to be used as a fire escape

Kitchen

• Missing or broken appliances usually sold with a home, including stove and refrigerator
• Broken or leaking sink

Bathrooms

• Broken or leaking toilet, sink, or tub/shower
• No ventilation (either an exhaust fan or window)

Crawl space or basement

• Basement moisture
• Evidence of past or present standing water

Heating and Plumbing

• Inoperable HVAC
• Major plumbing issues and leaks

 

These are some common items an FHA appraiser looks for, but other issues that might make a house unsafe could keep it from passing. An FHA appraisal is not the same as an independent home inspection. It’s still a good idea to get a separate home inspection to make sure you’re making a wise investment! 

Updated FHA Info Letter Sent July 12, 2022 for Kentucky FHA Appraisal Reports

✨Applies to case numbers assigned on or after June 1, 2022

✨Updates the initial appraisal validity period from 120 days to 180 days from the effective date of the appraisal report;

🙌🏼Extends the appraisal update validity period from 240 days to one year from the effective date of the initial appraisal report; 

✨Allows the appraisal update to be ordered AFTER an appraisal expires; and

👊🏼Eliminates the optional 30-day extension.

✨This is big news for FHA ✨

The guideline change also puts FHA appraisal expirations on par with conventional loan expiration dates.🥊

  

List of Kentucky FHA Appraisers below:  

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see link