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Buying a HUD foreclosure with FHA financing

Minneapolis, MN:  The Minnesota and Wisconsin housing market for homes under $250,000 is hot…   Good homes priced well are selling very quickly, and usually above the original asking price.

I’ve run into this situation many time recently when buying a HUD home, so I thought I would address it here.

DOES MY BUYER HAVE TO USE HUD’S FHA APPRAISAL?

hh_fsThe quick answer is YES if using an FHA loan to buy the house.  NO if using any other financing.

If you are buying a HUD foreclosure, they almost always already have a HUD Appraisal.  This is good and bad.  On the good side, if the buyer is using an FHA loan, the buyer does not need to pay for one of their own.  They get to use the HUD appraisal.

If the buyer is using any other type of financing, the existing HUD appraisal is meaningless.  You will need a new one.

OVER ASKING PRICE?

But if the house goes into multiple offers, the buyers using FHA financing are hamstrung by the HUD Appraisal. Sure, they can offer more than the HUD appraisal, but any amount they offer above the asking appraisal amount will be additional cash out of their pocket above the standard FHA down payment of 3.5%.

For example, a HUD Home is on the market for $100,000 with an existing HUD appraisal at $100,000.  There are multiple offers.  You want the house.  You offer $105,000. Therefore your down payment is $8,675 (3.5% of $105,000 PLUS the $5,000 above the appraisal price).