A Mold Certified Inspection 

There have been a lot of media reports on mold lately, Quandamn now offers mold testing.
Prospective home buyers want to be assured that the home they are purchasing has been mold tested. Mold sampling has become a standard practice during a home inspection. You should not buy a home with mold, sell a home with mold or live in a home with mold.
A mold inspection is your first line of defense!
To find out if mold is a problem in your home, you must have a mold inspection done by your inspector. 

REAC Inspections

Nearly 4 million American families live in rental housing that is owned, insured or subsidized by HUD. To ensure that these families have housing that is decent, safe, sanitary and in good repair. REAC conducts approximately 20,000 physical inspections on properties each year

FHA/HUD Inspections

HUD Minimum Property Requirements are to insure the health and safety of the occupants and/or the marketability of the property. As any investor who has ever sold a property to an FHA buyer knows, there is at least one mandatory FHA inspection that must be completed by the lender prior to the closing of the property. This inspection has to be done according to the FHA minimum requirement. Which look at; 

Site Hazards
Soil contamination
Grading and drainage
individual water and sewer systems
Wood destroying insects
private road access
Floor Support Systems
Attic
Crawl Space
Slab
Roof
Basement
Framing/Walls/Ceiling

Role of a Consultant in 203(K) Rehab Financing Through FHA

Home buyers planning on securing FHA 203k financing must work closely with 203k consultants to co-ordinate the various steps involved through out the process.

If the residential property being considered for purchase by the buyer is in need of repairs and the scope of the work to be done exceeds beyond the 203k streamline guidelines, then the following essential steps involves the involvement of a HUD-accepted 203k consultant.

Initial Site Visit

Call up a local 203k consultant listed on the HUD consultant roster and schedule an appointment for the site visit. The entire list of approved 203k consultant list in each state can be accessed through the HUD website.

Upon visiting the site, the consultant will perform a thorough examination of the property and provides with an assessment about the project's feasibility under the 203k loan requirements. If the consultant determines that the project is indeed feasible, a formal agreement is signed and the buyer pays a retainer fee. The exact fee to be paid depends on the cost of the proposed repair work. The HUD stipulated fee amount to be paid to the consultant can be figured out using the general fee schedule.

Architectural Exhibits, Detailed Work Write-up and Cost Estimates

Based on the initial site visit and inputs from buyer regarding their renovation plans, the 203k consultant will prepare a concise document regarding the project's scope and specifications. Architectural exhibits along with a detailed cost breakdown for each of the repair tasks will also be included. Additionally, the 203k consultant will also prepare lender packages and contractor bid packages that contain everything mentioned above. Finally, draw request forms based on the work plan to be followed will be prepared.

Once the detailed work write-up is completed, a copy of the complete package with all the required documents is submitted to the lender, contractor and the borrower.

Choosing a Contractor

The borrower will then invite bids from contractors to complete the work listed in the consultant write-up. Before you proceed with the contractor bid process, make sure your 203k lender agrees to it. Most active 203k lenders may have pre-screened list of eligible contractors and they may stipulate that the work is done through one of them. If not, they may have a set of requirements for a contractor handling the rehab work. It is highly advisable to work with a contractor who is well aware of the 203k guidelines and understand the steps involved in it. If you are going to be working with a new contractor who has no prior experience, make them understand the draw process and the work completion schedule as determined by the 203k consultant in the write-up package.

Loan Closing

Once a contractor is selected and the loan conditions are satisfied, your 203k lender will schedule a closing that is convenient for you and the seller. After all the loan documentation has been signed, funds for repair work will be escrowed. From this point onward, the renovation work can commence.

Draw Request Inspections

The 1st draw will processed once the consultant determines that all the necessary permits have been issued from the local authorities. Depending on the completion of the work identified in write-up as per determined schedule, the consultant will make subsequent inspection visits and issues the 2nd and 3rd draw amounts.

After the 4th draw request, a punch list containing any unfinished, outstanding tasks is handed down by the 203k consultant to the contractor. The 5th draw, held as a retainage is issued after the final inspection. At this point, the project will be successfully completed with no unfinished tasks. A 203k lien release form that absolves both the borrower and the lender is entered between the buyer and the contractor. If necessary, certain warranties regarding the completed work may also be entered between both the parties.

The above mentioned tasks involve an active role of a 203k consultant. Try to find a consultant that can help you successfully guide through the various steps outlined above.

203(K) Consultant Fees

The 203k consultant's fee varies depending on the cost of the repair work to be financed through a FHA 203k loan. The actual fees may vary from the amounts published by the HUD in its general fee schedule for the consultants performing the readability analysis report and other associated tasks. For the HUD established fee, a 203k consultant will personally visit the property and provide all the necessary architectural exhibits along with a complete work write-up.

The base fee is $400 for the repairs that range between $5,000 to $7,500. For amounts ranging between $7,501 to $15,000 the HUD 203k consultant fee is $500. For renovation work amount between $15,001 to $30,000, it's $600. For the cost of rehab work that falls in the range of $30,001 to $50,000, the 203k consultant fee is $700. The fee will be $800 for fix-up work that falls between $50,001 to $75,000. If the proposed repair work costs between $75,001 to $100K, the fee would be $900. In those rare cases where the renovation work to be undertaken exceeds $100,000, the fee shall be $1,000. The above mentioned FHA 203k consultant fee amounts are meant for single family residential homes. For multi-family homes, the fee charged may be higher. Typically, it would be an additional $25 for each unit beyond the 1st one.

If you are considering 203k financing using a streamline loan that allows for financing repairs under $35,000, there is no need for a feasibility analysis report performed by a consultant on HUD roster. For consultants that may need to travel beyond their local area(>30 miles for the round trip), mileage costs may also be chargeable along with the regular HUD established fees.

It is not mandatory that a buyer use the services of a 203k consultant approved by HUD. They can opt to use an independent consultant such as a contractor to prepare the exhibits or use an architect or engineer holding a valid state license. While the fees charged by an engineer or architect are not bound by the above mentioned fees, they must still be in a reasonable range.

Using a HUD-accepted consultant doesn't mean that HUD assumes any warranties regarding their competence or the quality of their work.

Even if you used an independent consultant to do the feasibility analysis, a mandatory pre-appraisal inspection must be performed by a HUD-accepted fee consultant to ensure that the property is in compliance with 203k program's guidelines and requirements. To perform this review, the utilities must be on prior to the site visit. The fee to be charged is fixed and depends on the amount of repair work. For properties that require less than $15,000 in total rehab work, the fee is set at $100. For the repairs that range between $15,001 to $30,000, the fee for a consultant is $150 and $200 for any work above $30,000. These fees are based on the review of single-family homes. For multi-family properties, an $50 per each additional unit applies, provided these units come under the same case number as the primary unit. In cases where an additional review may be necessary, another $50 as fee is applicable.

If the distance is more than 30 miles (round trip) to visit the site from the reviewer's official business location, additional mileage charges as established by the local HUD field office can be charged. Any additional charges related to Toll may also be applicable.

Delivery: Your report will be sent to you via e-mail, directly to you.