With the publication of Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2020-37 and due to the effectiveness of the Exterior-Only option (viewing from at least the street), the use of a Desktop-Only option provided in ML 2020-05 will no longer be available on or after November 1, 2020.
The FHA INFO #21-44, issued June 22, 2021, announced that the use of the Exterior-Only Appraisal guidance originally announced in Mortgagee Letter 2020-05, updated in Mortgagee Letter 2020-37, and last extended by ML 2021-06 will no longer be available for appraisals with an effective date after June 30, 2021.
FHA continues to revise its FHA Single Family COVID-19 information as needed to keep stakeholders updated with the latest information about FHA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Related information for FHA Mortgagees, Borrowers and other interested parties is available at:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh and on the https://www.hud.gov/answers website.
For additional information, see
- Mortgagee Letters 2021-06, 2020-47, 2020-37, 2020-28, 2020-20, and 2020-05:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/administration/hudclips/letters/mortgagee - FHA INFO #21-44: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/FHA_info_messages