FHA Photo Requirements

[samc6782]

Anyone have experience with my situation? I did an FHA refinance appraisal, and the lender has been told by FHA that they need a photo of the front of the garage. I don't have one. I forgot to take one because I got the borrower to open the garage for a photo of the interior, so I took that photo and forgot to take another one outside it. I have photos of the back and side of the garage, but not the front.

It isn't required according to the handbook. P. 513 here : https://portal.HUD.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=40001HSGH.pdf

There is nothing remarkable about the front of the garage, and my report doesn't suggest there is. I think this is someone at FHA who hasn't read their own handbook and nothing more, but what would you all do?

My position is that I also didn't take any pictures of the hallway or the borrowers' favorite socks and I wouldn't go back for those, either. Can I expect some kind of reprisal from FHA? I don't care about the lender being mad. Does an FHA "requirement" have to be satisfied even if it isn't included in the handbook?

 

[RSW]

Photos of anything that has contributory value are required. I would think this means photos of the exterior.

 

[JTip]

Nothing wrong with having the homeowner text you one (if they have a smartphone, who doesn't these days).

FULLY disclose where the photo came from along with a confirmation that this is the garage and how it looked when you inspected.

You won't go to jail if you tell the truth.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

How big a deal is it to drive back ? Just do it.

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

How big a deal is it to drive back ? Just do it.

Especially if you can get it from the street.

 

[samc6782]

It's a bit of a hike and I have plenty of work from better clients I want to work on. It's also the principle of the thing. It's not a requirement and I have photos of both the interior and exterior, just not from the front.

I tried what you said, JTip, but using a google maps photo, and I disclosed where it was from, but they weren't having it. I feel like someone is power tripping for no good reason. If they insist I guess I'll go back, but it doesn't feel right that they can request something that doesn't depict anything with contributory value. (And yes the garage contributes value, but the front of it doesn't contribute anything the side, rear and interior doesn't.)

I don't have a photo of the ceiling in the bathroom or the space behind where I took the photo of the dining room from either, and I wouldn't go back for those.

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

Is it a hill you are willing to die on?

 

[Marty Boone]

Never heard of that one, I'm assuming this is a detached garage or you would have a picture of the garage when you photographed the 4 corners.

 

[jay trotta]

Photos of anything that has contributory value are required. I would think this means photos of the exterior.

It would appear to me that "Photo Issue's" are out of control; if all the other photo's of the Garage have been included, how in earth does a missing Front Garage photo provide "contributory value" ?? I am truly stumped on that one.

 

[JTip]

I tried what you said, JTip, but using a google maps photo, and I disclosed where it was from, but they weren't having it

Call the homeowner. Don't use Google Earth pics......