. $500 Purchased at discount builder supply stores (Habitat for Humanity REstore, Seconds and Surplus, ShoptheBoss.com) All this stuff was brand new in the box. 4 brushed-nickel ceiling fans/lights -- $160 vs. $400ish2 brushed-nickel vanity lights -- $40 vs. $100ish4 24"x96" granite slabs -- $400 vs. $1,500ishUndermount sink $150 vs. $250ish660 sq. feet of handscraped engineered floating wood floor -- $660 vs. $2,000+40 sq. feet of glass mosaic backsplash -- $40 vs. $320ishCeramic tile for master bath -- free (I used some the people who sold us our house had left in the garage) vs. $200ish1,000 sq ft of FHA-compliant carpet installed with pad -- $1,100 vs. $2,000ish

@Josie Roman  there was another thread today.. and it was about pre approval letters and one of the posters commented that they were not necessary etc. and back in the day that's probably correct or in a severe buyers market.. but now with this type of fraud forget about market conditions and any other sales type tactics this is for financial safety and human safety ...

Which is not to say that they will outright deny you, but don't forget there's a subjective human aspect of underwriting.  

Your knowledge, your experience and sharing it with us is an investment in the Human Race! 

We are 28 years old, and have 2 fur babies, but no human children haha.

Perhaps we humans are hardier -- either way, this was a cost I was more than willing to simply eat until now.

It needs a human to go after if the mortgage payments stop coming.

Was it a computer generated appraisal or a human appraisal? 

Every dollar you'll ever make in life will come from another human.

This is an issue for non-profits providing housing to marginal buyers, it's why Habitat For Humanity requires sweat equity to be earned, why others do lease periods with savings required over a "testing" period.