FHA Issues Temporary Partial Wavier of Appraisal Requirements

[Paul Welden]

Today, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) issued a Temporary Partial Waiver to parts of the Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (Handbook 4000.1), Section II.D.4.c.iii.(F)(2): FHA Appraisal Requirements in Changing Markets – Required Analysis and Reporting. This partial waiver addresses difficulty in changing markets with increasing property values and a shortage of housing supply.

To address this, FHA is issuing this temporary partial waiver of the Handbook 4000.1 requirement in Section II.D.4.c.iii.(F)(2) that the appraiser must include, analyze, and report a minimum of two active listings or pending sales on the appraisal grid. This temporary partial waiver of established policy will help ensure the continued availability of affordable housing in these markets.

FHA roster appraisers must continue to comply with Handbook 4000.1 requirements for comparable selection, adjustments, and inclusion of proper data collection and reporting of market conditions on Fannie Mae Form 1004MC/Freddie Mac Form 71.

This temporary partial waiver is effective for the 12-month period between April 26, 2021, and April 26, 2022.

I wonder how this will affect the real estate industry long term? 

Do you think it will only affect the larger cities?