Is it hard to pass an FHA appraisal?

No, a home does not have to be perfect to pass an FHA appraisal. FHA standards focus on safety, security, and soundness: major systems must work as designed, and there must be no health or safety hazards. Minor cosmetic issues such as stained carpet or interior paint are acceptable; only problems that affect health, safety, or the property's long-term economic viability must be corrected.

An FHA appraisal requires a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior plus a VC form, but required repairs are limited to those needed to preserve the property's continued marketability and protect the health and safety of occupants. Cosmetic items such as worn-but-adequate finishes, missing shrubbery, dead grass, and mismatched tiles do not require repair. For homes built before 1978, the appraiser also notes the condition and location of defective paint.

That depends on the condition of the property. An FHA appraisal estimates value and also checks the home against FHA's safety and structural requirements, and only state-certified appraisers on the FHA Roster can perform appraisals for FHA-insured mortgages. Those added property requirements typically make an FHA appraisal cost more than a conventional one in Illinois.

An FHA appraisal can be demanding for an older property because it judges the home against HUD's three minimum property standards of safety, soundness, and security. Any flagged repairs must be completed before the FHA loan can close. Common checklist items include water drainage away from the foundation, a roof with at least two years of remaining life, functioning utilities and heating, and no peeling paint.

That depends on the home's condition rather than on a test you take. The appraiser checks the property against HUD's minimum property requirements for safety, soundness, and security, including working heating, electrical, and plumbing systems and a roof with remaining useful life. Common problems include peeling paint, broken windows and doors, pest damage, and drainage defects, which often must be repaired before the loan closes.