February 26, 2015
A reader asks, “I am working with a home that was built in 1946. The crawl space clearance under the home is suppose to be by FHA standards 18 inches. This home only has 12 to 15 inches. It is not possible to get the dirt out from under this house to meet the requirement. Is there a chance they would waiver this requirement and if so who would I need to contact?”
A HUD publication for single family home appraisers mentions the following in relation to the reader’s question:
“A minimum distance of 18 inches from the ground to bottom of the joists is highly recommended but not mandated.” The appraiser will enter the crawl space (at a minimum entry of the head and shoulders) to observe conditions except when access is obstructed, when entry could damage the property, or when dangerous and adverse situations are suspected.”
“In any event, the crawl space size and accessibility dictates the level of entry. However, the appraiser will visually examine the crawl space for inadequacies (see HUD HB 4150.2 Chapter 3-6 A. 11 and Protocol for VC-8).”
That would seem to indicate some discretion is possible on the appraiser’s part, however, state and local building code may also play a role in whether the appraiser can overlook the conditions mentioned in the reader question.
Therefore, the reader should research state/local building code to see if the conditions of the home are in violation or not–that would likely be one of the most important aspects of this issue, assuming the appraiser is otherwise able to overlook the condition of the crawlspace.
An appraiser may be able to overlook a condition of the home in such cases where FHA minimum property standards are flexible as in the above example, but any violation of applicable building codes noted by the appraiser may require corrections as a condition of loan approval.
Borrowers can always contact the FHA directly for advice by calling 1-800 CALL FHA for assistance.
Do you have questions about FHA home loans? Ask us in the comments section.
Joe Wallace has been specializing in military and personal finance topics since 1995. His work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. He was Managing editor for www.valoans.com for (8) years and is currently the Associate Editor for FHANewsblog.com.
Browse by Date: