Your Next Home Appraisal May Look Different | Jennifer Dawn
What Hampton Roads buyers and sellers should know about the new report—and the questions worth asking.
When you’re buying or selling a home, the appraisal can feel like the moment everyone holds their breath. You’ve worked through the offer, inspections, and negotiations. Now you’re waiting to see how the property’s appraised value fits into the financing.
An updated appraisal reporting standard is arriving, and your next report may look different from one you’ve seen before. There will be more structured information about the property, a redesigned layout, and some unfamiliar terminology.
You don’t need to become an appraisal expert. But understanding what’s changing can help you ask better questions.
What is changing?
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac developed UAD 3.6, an updated standard for the property information reported in residential mortgage appraisals. Alongside it comes a redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report, or URAR.
Several familiar appraisal forms are being replaced with a flexible reporting structure that adapts to the property and the appraisal assignment. Information that previously appeared in an addendum can now have a designated place within the report. You can explore the initiative on Fannie Mae’s Uniform Appraisal Dataset resource page.
You may notice separate interior and exterior quality and condition ratings alongside the overall ratings. The rating scales remain, but their definitions have been clarified. The report also provides more specific information about updates to kitchens, bathrooms, and flooring, as explained in the official UAD 3.6 FAQs.
Dedicated sections address disaster-mitigation features and energy-efficient or green features. Here in Hampton Roads, where waterfront settings, storms, and older housing stock are part of the conversation, those details are worth understanding. Their inclusion does not automatically mean they increase the appraised value. Fannie Mae’s Appraiser Update explains these new sections.
Which deadline applies to your loan?
This is where a headline about “new appraisal rules” can leave out an important distinction.
For loans delivered to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, November 2, 2026 is the mandate for new appraisal reports initially submitted to their appraisal portal. The initial submission date controls—not simply your loan application or closing date.
Lenders with an approved temporary exception can continue submitting the older format through May 19, 2027. The November mandate has not been universally postponed. The September 30 lender announcement explains the exception period.
FHA follows a separate rollout. Since October 1, 2026, FHA has permitted optional submissions in the new format. As of this article’s update, FHA has not announced its mandatory adoption date. See the October 1 announcement, FHA INFO 2026-23, on HUD’s FHA information page.
For VA and USDA loans, confirm the applicable agency and lender requirements rather than assuming the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac deadline applies. The redesigned standard supports those programs, but their implementation plans are separate.
If you’re using a Virginia Housing program, ask your participating lender about its requirements. Virginia Housing has issued program-specific notices, available through its lender updates and announcements. Those should not be treated as a statewide rule for every Virginia mortgage.
If you’re selling, make the property’s story easy to follow
A home’s improvements aren’t always obvious during a visit. A replaced HVAC system, updated electrical work, or a renovation completed several years ago deserves a clear, factual explanation.
My recommendation is a concise summary of meaningful improvements and notable features, including approximate completion dates when known. Distinguish routine maintenance from renovations, and identify relevant supporting information you already have.
The goal is to help the appraiser understand the property accurately. The appraiser still makes an independent judgment; an improvement’s cost does not guarantee an equal increase in value.
For more preparation guidance, explore my Home Appraisal Overview, including the buyer and seller digital guides.
If you’re buying, ask about the report before it arrives
Start with your lender: Which appraisal format is being ordered for my loan?
When the report arrives, ask for explanations of unfamiliar ratings or comments. If you notice a possible factual error or omission, bring it to your lender with specific supporting information. Ask about the lender’s correction or reconsideration-of-value process.
A reconsideration request is a review opportunity, not a promise that the value will change. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how borrowers can raise concerns about inaccurate appraisals.
And remember: an appraisal serves a different purpose from a home inspection. A more detailed appraisal report does not replace that separate evaluation of the home’s condition.
What I want you to take away
A more detailed report gives us more information to understand. It does not promise a higher value or remove the need for thoughtful preparation.
You should know which requirements apply, have a clear way to share relevant property information, and feel comfortable asking questions when something needs explanation.
If you’re preparing to buy or sell in Hampton Roads, email me or call 757-524-0417. Let’s talk through where the appraisal fits into your plans.
You can also explore my buyer resources, seller resources, and appraisal guides at your own pace.
Jennifer Dawn | REALTOR®
Helping people create lives they love coming home to.
Updated October 13, 2026. Loan-program and lender requirements may change; confirm the requirements for your transaction.
