Honestly, I get why people lean FHA, but I’m not convinced the “leverage” with repairs is always a win. In my experience, sellers in a hot market just won’t bother—they’ll take the next offer and leave you hanging. Plus, some of those “required” fixes are just cosmetic, not real safety issues. I went conventional for my last place, scraped together the extra down payment, and it was way less stressful than dealing with all the FHA back-and-forth. Sometimes less paperwork is worth the stretch.
I hear you on the FHA repair headaches—those can drag out a deal or kill it fast, especially when sellers have backup offers lined up. I’ve seen contracts fall apart over chipped paint or a missing handrail, which feels pretty minor compared to the bigger stuff. Conventional definitely gives you more flexibility, but it’s not always an option for folks who don’t have the extra cash for a bigger down payment.
Curious if you ran into any issues with appraisal on your conventional loan? Sometimes those can get sticky too, especially if the market’s moving fast and prices are jumping. Did you have to bridge any appraisal gaps, or did it all line up?
I’ve seen contracts fall apart over chipped paint or a missing handrail, which feels pretty minor compared to the bigger stuff.
That’s exactly what tripped us up on our first offer—seller just didn’t want to bother with the little repairs. On the appraisal, we lucked out and it matched our offer, but honestly I was sweating it. I’ve heard of folks having to bring a few grand extra to close when the appraisal comes in low. The market’s so jumpy right now, it’s tough to predict.
Funny thing—sometimes it’s not the big stuff that tanks a deal, it’s literally a $30 handrail or a patch of peeling paint. I’ve seen buyers and sellers both dig in their heels over the tiniest repairs, even when there’s a mountain of cash on the line. FHA loans do get a bit pickier about those little things, though. If you’re going conventional, you might have a smoother ride with minor issues, since the appraisers don’t always care as much about cosmetic stuff.
But yeah, the appraisal game is nerve-wracking no matter what. I’ve watched folks celebrate an accepted offer, then get whiplash when the appraisal comes in $10k short. Suddenly everyone’s scrambling to cover the gap or renegotiate. Makes you wish you could just Venmo the appraiser a coffee and a donut before they show up... but apparently that’s “unethical.”
Honestly, sometimes the best deals are the ones where everyone decides not to sweat the small stuff—easier said than done in this market, though.
Had a deal nearly fall apart over a missing GFCI outlet cover once. Seller was convinced it was “no big deal,” but the FHA appraiser flagged it and suddenly everyone’s blood pressure spiked. Ended up being a $5 fix, but it delayed closing by a week. Conventional loans have saved me a few headaches on stuff like that—less nitpicking, at least in my experience. But yeah, the appraisal roulette is always stressful. You never really know what’s gonna trip things up until you’re in the thick of it.
