Navigating Washington Form 17 Disclosures, Pre-Inspections and Appraisal Conditions
Updated October 2026
A seller’s Form 17 can point you toward a roof leak, unpermitted addition or drainage problem, but it cannot establish that a Washington house is mortgage-ready. Treat disclosure, inspection and appraisal as three different evidence sources, each answering a different question before closing.
Read disclosures as a starting point
Form 17 generally records the seller’s knowledge of property conditions. Exemptions and transaction-specific rules can affect its use. An unknown answer does not mean the system is sound, and an affirmative answer deserves supporting records rather than an assumption that the issue was resolved.
Build a follow-up list around:
- Water intrusion, crawlspace moisture and prior insurance repairs.
- Roof age, electrical alterations and heating-system service.
- Boundary disputes, easements and shared maintenance obligations.
- Permits and final approvals for additions or converted living space.
- Sewer connections, septic capacity and private-water arrangements.
Ask for invoices, permits and warranties while there is still time to investigate. For rural properties, the septic and well documentation guide explains why maintenance receipts alone may leave important questions unanswered.
Understand what a pre-inspection cannot do
A pre-inspection can inform an offer before submission, especially in competitive Puget Sound neighborhoods. Its scope depends on access, time and the inspector’s agreement. A seller-provided report may omit inaccessible areas or specialized testing, so check exactly what was examined.
Neither a clean inspection nor a waived inspection contingency binds the lender. The appraiser evaluates collateral and may identify conditions requiring repair or further professional evaluation. An appraisal is not a comprehensive home inspection.
Typical financing concerns include an inoperable heating system, active roof failure or an unfinished alteration affecting safety. If the appraisal is subject to completion, obtain the lender’s required repair evidence and reinspection procedure before setting a final moving date. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how appraisal and closing fit into the mortgage process.
Keep assistance and repair cash separate
Buyers considering WSHFC Home Advantage, Home Advantage DPA, Opportunity DPA or the Covenant Homeownership Program should establish current eligibility and available funding with a participating lender. These programs have distinct requirements; assistance is not unrestricted repair money. Start with the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.
Maintain a separate inspection and repair reserve alongside your down payment. Sound & Slope’s closing-cost estimator helps distinguish settlement costs from money needed before closing, when inspections, specialist visits and appraisal follow-ups may already require payment.
Compare Current Mortgage Rates
Compare current APRs, points, fees, and estimated monthly payments from participating lenders below.
Loan Program Comparison: 2026 Benchmarks
Navigating Washington Form 17 Disclosures, Pre Inspections and Appraisal Conditions — Choose a mortgage by comparing eligibility, upfront cash and total monthly costs, not the advertised rate alone. Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA serve different borrowers. Confirm county limits, taxes, insurance and lender requirements before comparing personalized Loan Estimates for your household.
Historical 2025 one-unit comparison: conforming $806,500; FHA floor $524,225. County and unit-count limits can differ.
| Loan program | Down payment / equity | 2026 one-unit baseline | Costs and page-specific comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3%–5% subject to eligibility | $832,750 | PMI generally below 20% down |
| FHA | 3.5% at 580+; 10% at 500–579 | $541,287 floor | 1.75% upfront MIP; 0.55% annual for >95% LTV, base loan ≤$726,200, term >15 years |
| VA | 0% for eligible borrowers | No VA limit with full entitlement | No monthly PMI; funding fee unless exempt |
| USDA | 0% for eligible borrowers | Income, address and repayment eligibility | Guarantee and annual fees; confirm current schedule |
| Jumbo | Lender-specific cash and reserves | Above applicable conforming limit | Lender-specific pricing and insurance |
| Home Equity / Refinance | Equity and underwriting dependent | Property and lender dependent | Compare closing costs, term and break-even |
Sources: FHFA limits; HUD FHA limits.
Editorial Methodology & Primary Sources
Verification date: Not recorded; check the primary source and lender timestamp before relying on an estimate.
Rate comparisons use participating lender feeds, not a whole-market survey or guaranteed offers. Freddie Mac PMMS is a market benchmark, not a personalized quote. Calculator models rely on published regulatory formulas and disclosed assumptions rather than fabricated first-person loan testing.
Monthly principal and interest use the amortization formula P × r / (1 − (1 + r)−n), where r is the monthly note rate and n is the number of payments; at zero interest use P / n. PITI adds monthly property taxes and homeowners insurance; PMI is separate. APR includes applicable finance charges under Regulation Z and is not the note rate used for payments. Compare lender Loan Estimates for actual APR and fees.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — Loan Estimates, APR and borrower disclosures; Regulation Z.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD / FHA) — FHA program guidance.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — VA loan eligibility and benefits.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — published rate benchmarks.
- U.S. Census state tax collections — state property tax benchmarks; confirm parcel-specific assessments and exemptions with the state revenue department and local assessor.
The payment snapshot uses illustrative annual taxes of 1% of home price, $1,200 insurance and 0.5% PMI below 20% down, not verified local quotes. Other calculators disclose their inputs and assumptions. Published guidance and lender feeds may change independently; confirm current program rules, taxes and offers before a decision.