All Forum Posts by: Patrick Ford

@Drew Sygit he wants edges mitered because he said this shows the builder did “shoddy work” and it makes him question the rest of the house. So, by his logic, if the edges get mitered the “shoddy work” disappears?  This is a miscarriage of justice!

@Russell Brazil unfortunately, it's not that easy with a VA loan. An appraisal follows you around the VA system regardless of lender for 6 months. Also, you cannot request a new appraiser or appraisal. This is now set in stone.

To the folks that asked, I’m positive what he is requiring. I read his contingencies over and over, he is requiring an independent run and GFI device for each plug. The circuit around the wet areas are already protected by a GFI in the circuit. 

@Caroline Gerardo unfortunately I believe the appraiser IS intending to hurt me. All I can think is he’s got a beef with military folks or people with nice houses?  Why would he BLOCK me from a benefit I EARNED while serving domestically and abroad (in not so nice places) because of a mitered corner of a wooden post. He is WRONG on all accounts. He is not to be determining code worthiness and the correction he is having me make to the front posts is actually going to make the house worse off. 

This is an absurdity beyond belief. I'm now attempting to have the VA waive these contingencies and once they do, and/if my financing goes through I will be filing complaints with the state of Michigan (who regulate the appraiser, this is not a VA guy, he's independent), I'll be contacting the VA, if I come out of this worse off financially, I'll be taking him to small claims and I will be contacting my Congressmen about rogue appraisers blocking veterans from a hard earned benefit.

There has to be a way to go after appraisers like this. How many other veterans got screwed out of a VA mortgage because of this guy or others like him? One of the few benefits of being in the military is a VA loan! He is denying me this benefit I earned by serving over things he has fabricated. He is attempting to enforce code which he has not authority to do. And if he did, he is doing it wrong! He can't even get the code right he is trying to enforce. This VA loan is worth $500/mo in interest savings and I cannot stand for it.

I wish. VA rules; once an appraisal is in the system, it's there for 6 months. Can't have another valid appraisal until it expires at that time.

No; the GFI independent wired would require the following; wires to be run from each plug to the panel. Due to the number of plugs and spaces available on the panel it would require a panel upgrade as well. So, he thinks each plug needs it’s own GFI device and circuit breaker on the panel. This is absurd. 

The mitered edges will result in uneven warping and expansion and look terrible over time. To have them remote this, miter, refit, paint etc would be quite expensive for 4 posts. 

These repairs would equate to thousands of dollars. The house is up to code per the 2015 NEC which is what the state governs by. I cannot and will not spend thousands more to appease a moron that doesn't know what he's talking about and is not required by code. The VA only cares about what code the state and local authority uses, they do not mandate their own code.

Rogue appraiser, help!!

Background; new build in Michigan. Construction loan is about to convert to a conventional 30 year at 4.375 and attempting to refinance into a 30 year VA at 2.25%.

So, we got the home appraisal today and the appraiser made it contingent on the following;

1-independent GFIs are installed in kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room. They're currently all on a GFI, but not each plug is a GFI. They are wired in parallel with a GFI at a water collecting area. So the plug on one side of the counter is connected to a GFI on the other side. Here's the kicker. It's already passed electrical inspection and the COO has been issued by the county. This is in Michigan and the county uses 2015 NEC code according to their website. The appraiser stated this;

“Install GFI's in kitchen independently of each other above the kitchen counter. 2020 NEC(National Electric Code Book Page 218 Section A - 6.”

2-This one is even MORE absurd...he said he WILL NOT sign off on this appraisal until the builder miters the corners of the posts on the front porch. They're wrapped in cedar and I don't disagree that they could use bit more TLC. The boards are just butted at 90 degrees and painted. The builder says they don't miter the posts because the wood swells and it'll now and/or crack. Honestly it's cosmetic, and I don't care. The appraiser is making my VA loan that will save me $10k/yr in interest on mitered edges!

I’m beside myself right now; how can this be ok? How can someone like this hold up a veterans loan because of his opinion. The house meets code for the state and county, and his gripes are about posts on a front porch!

Help!

Thanks for the input, everyone. The whole condo has been updated as of last year with the exception of the bathroom. The floors were redone, new kitchen (counter tops, cabinets, backsplash), new trim and everything was repainted. The tile in the bathroom is original (rehabbed building in 2001) so it’s almost 20 years old. The shower basin has seen better days as well. I think considering the rest is up to date, the bathroom makes sense. I didn’t buy this place as an investment, just a primary home but I’ve taken good care of it. It has brand new HVAC too, so hopefully someone looking for a one bed, one bath turn key condo downtown Chicago finds it!

Thanks for the idea mike. We have actually done a new vanity and frameless door. My initial thought is that’s it would yield AT LEAST an equal amount for the sale. Maybe, that’s a pipe dream. The other thing that’s hard to quantify is how much quicker that could help us sell. If it’s a truly turn key sale, with nothing left to update, I would think it could be a big factor.

Looking at selling my small condo downtown chicago next year. It’s all updated except the bathroom. I was quoted around $4k for new tile, paint, tub refinish, labor and materials. Is there a rule of thumb to help decide if this will add value to my condo when I do sell next year?  Obviously, market conditions and comps are the main driver, but all things equal, would my unit go for more than an identical unit in the building that sold this year?  It sold for $246k, so assuming I could get greater than $250k after a remodel it MAY be worth it.  

Looking for some thoughts. Thanks!

@Sam Shueh I'm not trying to circumvent the sellers agent.  That's not my question at all.