VolkHaus Appraisals | Denver Metro & Boulder County
UAD 3.6 — A Field Guide for Real Estate Agents
Working with appraisers under the new format. Prep your listings, navigate your buyers, know what's changing.
What's changing, and when
Mandatory date: November 2, 2026. Every GSE appraisal (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) ordered on or after that date will be in the new UAD 3.6 format.
It's already permitted. Broad production capability opened January 26, 2026, but most lenders are still ordering legacy reports. Adoption will ramp through 2026 as the November 2 mandatory date approaches. If you have a deal in flight, ask your lender which format they're ordering.
The forms you know are going away. The 1004, 1073, 2055, 70, 465, 442, and the hybrid forms are all being retired. There is no "1004 under UAD 3.6" — the old fixed forms are replaced by a single dynamic report that adapts to the property type and assignment.
The report will look completely different — but it's easier to read. Same underlying value conclusion, but the structure, terminology, and level of detail are new. Everything is organized by topic — no more cross-referencing between the form and the addendum. Expect more granular condition and quality ratings, more required commentary, and substantially more information sourced from the listing agent, the buyer's agent, and the homeowner.
Roughly 3× the data. The new report collects about 70% more data fields than the old forms — most of it didn't exist before. The report also adapts to the property: ADUs, outbuildings, and other features trigger additional sections automatically rather than being crammed into an addendum.
The Summary page now has a "Defects Requiring Action" table. UAD 3.6 introduced a structured table on page 1 listing any items the appraiser flags as requiring action — with location, description, recommended action (repair, inspection, test), and an estimated cost to repair. If the table has items, the value is reported as Subject to Repair instead of As Is, and the lender will likely require those items be addressed before funding.
Both sides need to read this table early — for the listing agent it triggers seller/lender coordination; for the buyer agent it signals what the appraiser saw and what the lender may condition on closing.
Why the change? The GSEs needed a more flexible, data-rich, and consistent reporting standard — one that supports modern valuation methods and produces appraisal data that's reliably reusable downstream.
See what the new report looks like
Fannie Mae published sample UAD 3.6 reports for different property types. These are fictional scenarios, but they show the exact format, layout, and level of detail you'll see on real reports starting this year.
- Single-Family with ADU — 25 pages | Includes accessory dwelling unit documentation — relevant with Denver's expanded ADU zoning
- Condominium — 24 pages | Condo-specific sections including project data and unit comparison
- 2-to-4 Unit — 31 pages | Multi-family with income approach and per-unit breakdowns
Source: Fannie Mae Appendix D-1 Sample Scenarios — Fannie Mae UAD page
When you're listing the property: the prep checklist
Property basics
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Above Grade Finished Area: (Area Source: ) | Year of most recent major remodel (if applicable): → scope: |
| Below Grade Finished / Total: / | Easements, encroachments, deed restrictions beyond HOA covenants (if disclosed in title or by seller): |
| HOA fee + frequency + what's included: |
Improvements & condition
The UAD 3.6 heavy lift. MLS captures what exists but rarely when it was last updated — that's where the appraiser most often needs you.
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Countertop type (in Interior Features picklist) | Year of last meaningful kitchen update: → scope: |
| Appliances (picklist + brand if noted in remarks) | Year of major appliances (if known): |
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Bath count by level (Full / 3/4 / Half / 1/4) | Year primary bath updated: → scope: |
| Five Piece Bath / Jet Action Tub / Jack & Jill (Interior Features) | Year other baths updated (if applicable): |
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Flooring picklist (in Flooring field) | Year flooring last replaced or refinished (by area, if known): |
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Heating + cooling type & fuel source; Roof material; HVAC Description (free text) | Year installed — HVAC heating: • cooling: • water heater: • roof: • windows: |
| Electrical panel: amps, year of last upgrade | |
| Plumbing material (if known): |
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Green Verification (HERS / ENERGY STAR / LEED / NAHB-ICC — type, rating, year) | Insulation upgrades (if known — where, year, R-value if available): |
| Power Production (type, size kW, year installed, ownership) | |
| Green Energy Efficient picklist + EV charging + smart thermostat + window pane type |
Upgrades since purchase
The highest-friction-but-highest-value section under UAD 3.6. MLS captures only a binary "Updated/Remodeled" checkbox — everything below is gap. List meaningful improvements the seller has made:
| Improvement | Year | Permitted? (contractor + permit # if yes) | Receipts available? |
|---|---|---|---|
Comps the appraiser might miss
MLS gives the appraiser the comp universe they can find on their own. This section is for what they can't find without you: off-market sales, pocket listings, neighborhood activity that didn't hit MLS, properties whose photos undersell them, recent unrecorded transactions you've heard about. You're not telling the appraiser what value to hit — you're surfacing local knowledge they don't have.
| Address | Sale price (or status) | Why relevant — one line |
|---|---|---|
Special considerations
| Already in MLS | Not in MLS — please provide |
|---|---|
| Status / List Date / List Price | Multiple offers? |
| Special Listing Conditions (Auction / Short Sale / etc.) | Title issues / liens / litigation (if known): |
| Special Assessment Description (if HOA) | Anything else the appraiser couldn't infer from inspection (STR / income property use, easements affecting use, neighbor disputes, planned construction nearby): |
When you're representing the buyer
Reading the new report
The UAD 3.6 report opens with a Summary page that puts the most important facts up front — a meaningful change from legacy, where you had to flip to the back to find the value. Where to look:
Summary page (page 1) — the most-used page:
- Opinion of Market Value
- Market Value Condition (As Is / Subject to Repair)
- Effective Date
- Overall Quality (Q1–Q6) and Overall Condition (C1–C6)
- "Apparent Defects, Damages, Deficiencies Requiring Action" — a new table listing items the appraiser is requiring be repaired, with cost-to-cure estimates. If populated, the value is Subject to Repair.
- The Reconciliation section (end of the report) has a consolidated defects table showing everything the appraiser flagged — including items that don't require action. That's the complete picture.
Body of the report — in this order:
- Subject Property → Site → Sketch → Dwelling Exterior → Unit Interior (condition photos and observations)
- Functional Obsolescence
- Sales Comparison Approach (the comp grid with adjustments, including time adjustments)
- Reconciliation (narrative + Reasonable Exposure Time)
Two kinds of delay — one fades, one doesn't
Most lenders are still ordering legacy appraisals as of mid-2026, but every GSE-eligible appraisal must be on UAD 3.6 by November 2, 2026. As lenders transition, expect two distinct effects:
Office turn-time (temporary): As appraisers come up to speed on the new format, report-writing will take some extra days during the transition. This will compress as offices get their systems down.
Field/inspection time (permanent): UAD 3.6 requires substantially more property-specific data than legacy reports — more photos, more granular condition observations, more measurements. Even after the transition settles, expect appraisers to spend longer on site at the property.
For the buyer agent:
- Build buffer into your appraisal contingency deadline once the lender is ordering UAD 3.6
- Some lenders may delay ordering until later in the contract period during their transition
- Coordinate with the listing side on a longer inspection window