Financing a Home Resource Center Appraisal

Can a Lender Require Repairs Before Closing?

Published 2026-09-09 Last reviewed 2026-09-09 By Lisa C Hamilton, REALTOR®

Quick Answer

Yes. A lender or loan program may require certain property conditions to be corrected before funding when they affect safety, soundness, security, insurability or program eligibility. Not every cosmetic defect becomes a lender-required repair.

Examples That May Raise Questions

Depending on program and property:

  • Significant roof problems
  • Exposed wiring
  • Missing safety features
  • Structural concerns
  • Major water damage
  • Certain peeling paint conditions
  • Nonfunctional systems

Who Pays?

That is negotiable unless the contract or program dictates otherwise.

Possibilities include seller repairs, a buyer-arranged permitted repair structure, renovation financing or another approved solution.

Why Sellers Should Care

A property marketed as "AS-IS!" does not force a lender to ignore property requirements.

If the likely buyer pool uses FHA, VA or conventional financing, condition can affect marketability.

Why Buyers Should Care

A lender-required repair is not the same as a complete home inspection.

A property can satisfy lender requirements and still have expensive defects.

How Lisa Helps

Lisa can coordinate the seller, buyer, lender, appraiser and contractors where appropriate, without pretending the REALTOR® controls underwriting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays for lender-required repairs?

That is negotiable unless the contract or program dictates otherwise. Possibilities include seller repairs, a permitted repair structure, renovation financing or another approved solution.

Does 'as-is' mean the lender ignores condition?

No. A property marketed as as-is does not force a lender to ignore property requirements.

Is a lender-required repair the same as a full inspection?

No. A property can satisfy lender requirements and still have expensive defects.

Lisa C Hamilton, REALTOR® with THE Brokerage, A Real Estate Firm®

Reviewed by

Lisa C Hamilton, REALTOR®, NV License S.168195

Lisa C Hamilton is a Las Vegas Valley REALTOR® affiliated with THE Brokerage, A Real Estate Firm®, helping buyers, sellers, investors, and relocating clients across Clark County and Greater Las Vegas with local market knowledge, property research, and direct personal representation. She is a REALTOR®: she handles the real estate side of your transaction. Individualized mortgage advice comes from an appropriately licensed lender.

Selling a home that needs work? Understand how condition affects your buyer pool.

Lisa can help determine how condition may affect the financing available to your buyer pool and coordinate the seller, buyer, lender, appraiser and contractors.

Mortgage qualification, rates, loan amounts, and program eligibility are determined by your lender and current program rules, not by Lisa. Always verify current figures with an appropriately licensed mortgage professional and the applicable agency (HUD/FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the CFPB).