Northeast Florida homebuyers face new appraisal forms as Nov. 2 deadline nears

Homebuyers closing on properties across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida will soon see a new look to a critical piece of the transaction: the appraisal report. Starting Nov. 2, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are requiring lenders to submit new residential appraisals using a redesigned format called the Uniform Appraisal Dataset 3. 6, or UAD 3. 6. But not every lender will make the switch on the same day.

The two government-sponsored enterprises announced this week that lenders needing more time to adopt the new format can request an exception to the Nov. 2 deadline. Those approved can continue submitting new appraisals in the older format through May 19, 2027. That means buyers, sellers, and real estate agents in Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, and surrounding counties may encounter both old and new appraisal formats in their transactions over the next seven months.

What's changing

The UAD 3. 6 replaces several existing appraisal forms with one flexible Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. The new report adjusts to the property being appraised, with sections appearing based on the home's specific features. The redesign is intended to make property information more consistent and easier to review across the mortgage industry.

For real estate agents and buyers accustomed to finding information in a particular spot on an appraisal, the new layout will require some adjustment. Agents who have reviewed hundreds of appraisals formatted the same way will need to familiarize themselves with the new structure. Buyers who have purchased a home before may also notice that their report looks different from what they received in a previous transaction.

Lenders that sell loans directly to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac must meet the Nov. 2 deadline or obtain an exception from each agency to which they sell loans. Other lenders must coordinate with the investors that buy their loans. Those requesting extra time must commit to a plan to finish the transition, including work with their appraisers and technology vendors. The agencies called it "a one-time policy exception that will not be extended. "

Florida Realtors announced it will explain the reporting changes during a 60-minute continuing-education webinar on Friday, Oct. 16, at 10 a. m. Eastern via Zoom. The organization noted that an older-format appraisal received after Nov. 2 is not necessarily a problem; agents can check with the lender to confirm which format it is using and whether it has an exception.

What homebuyers and sellers need to know

The transition creates a potential point of confusion in an already complex closing process. In Northeast Florida's busy housing market—where St. Johns County remains one of the state's fastest-growing counties and Jacksonville's urban core is seeing increased residential development—thousands of appraisals are ordered every month to support home purchases and refinances.

Buyers who have been pre-qualified or are shopping for homes now should ask their lender which appraisal format will be used when their transaction moves forward. If a lender has obtained an exception and plans to continue using the older format into early 2027, the buyer's appraisal will look familiar to anyone who has purchased a home in recent years. If the lender is switching to UAD 3. 6 on Nov. 2, the report will have a new layout.

Real estate agents facilitating closings will need to be prepared to explain the change to clients. A buyer reviewing their appraisal report for the first time may not realize the format has changed industry-wide and could be confused or concerned if the document looks different from what a friend or family member received recently. Agents who understand the transition can reassure clients that the new format contains the same core information, just organized differently.

The staggered rollout also means that agents working multiple transactions simultaneously may see different formats depending on which lender is involved. An agent closing a sale with one lender in November might receive an old-format appraisal under an approved exception, while a closing with a different lender the same week could use the new UAD 3. 6 report. Staying in communication with lending partners about their timelines will help agents set accurate expectations for their clients.

How lenders and appraisers are preparing

The appraisal format change requires coordination between lenders, appraisers, and the technology vendors that provide the software systems used to generate and submit reports to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Lenders must ensure their systems can accept and process the new format, while appraisers must update their software and learn the new reporting structure.

For lenders requesting an exception, the transition does not disappear—it is simply delayed. Fannie Mae's UAD webpage includes sample reports and training materials to help industry participants prepare. Lenders that have not yet completed their technology upgrades or appraiser training by Nov. 2 can apply for the extension, but they must submit a plan showing how they will complete the switch by May 2027.

The agencies built in a gradual enforcement mechanism to encourage lenders using the older format under an exception to complete their transitions. Beginning March 1, 2027, lenders still submitting reports in the older format will lose access to some automated review functions and certain protections related to appraised value. This creates an incentive to adopt the new system well before the hard deadline in May.

Appraisers operating in Northeast Florida—who may work with dozens of different lenders across the seven-county region—will need to be fluent in both formats during the transition period. An appraiser might receive an order from a lender that switched on Nov. 2 requiring UAD 3. 6, then receive another order the same day from a lender with an exception that still requires the old format. Managing that dual-track workflow will add complexity to appraisers' operations through next spring.

What real estate professionals should do now

Florida Realtors recommended that agents take several steps to prepare for the transition. First, talk with lending partners to ask when they expect to switch and which format to expect in upcoming transactions. Agents who work regularly with certain lenders or mortgage brokers can proactively gather this information and incorporate it into their client communication.

Second, review a sample of the new report. Fannie Mae's UAD webpage includes examples that show how the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report is structured and where key information appears. Agents who familiarize themselves with the layout now will be better equipped to review appraisals quickly and accurately when they start appearing in live transactions.

Third, give customers a heads-up. Explain that appraisal reporting is changing industry-wide, so their report may look different from one they received for a previous purchase or from what a friend described. Setting that expectation early prevents confusion later and positions the agent as a knowledgeable guide through the process.

For buyers and sellers working without an agent—a small but notable segment of the market in some Northeast Florida neighborhoods—understanding the appraisal change is equally important. A buyer who receives an appraisal that looks unfamiliar might question whether the lender made an error or whether the appraisal is valid. Knowing that the format change is an industry-wide standard can provide reassurance.

Timeline and deadlines

The rollout follows a specific schedule with several key dates. Nov. 2, 2026, is when the new UAD 3. 6 standards officially take effect. Lenders with an approved exception can continue submitting reports in the older format after that date, but all other lenders must switch.

On March 1, 2027, lenders still using the older format under an exception will lose some automated review functions and certain protections related to appraised value. This is designed to encourage completion of the transition and ensure that lenders do not remain on the old system indefinitely.

May 20, 2027, is the final deadline: all new appraisal submissions must use UAD 3. 6. Older reports already submitted to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before that date can still be revised and resubmitted through June 27, 2027, to allow for corrections or updates on transactions already in progress.

June 28, 2027, marks the complete retirement of the older format. After that date, the old forms will no longer be accepted under any circumstances. The transition will be complete across the entire mortgage industry.

Northeast Florida market context

The appraisal format change arrives as Northeast Florida continues to absorb strong housing demand driven by population growth, job creation, and the region's relative affordability compared to South Florida. In St. Johns County, new master-planned communities such as Nocatee and SilverLeaf are delivering hundreds of homes each year, each requiring an appraisal when financed with a conventional mortgage backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

In Duval County, downtown Jacksonville's residential push—supported by incentives from the Downtown Investment Authority—is bringing new condominiums and apartments to market, along with conversions of older office buildings to residential use. Appraisals for these urban properties can be more complex than single-family suburban homes, and appraisers will need to navigate the new reporting format for a wide variety of property types.

Clay County's growth along the First Coast Expressway corridor and Nassau County's expansion around Wildlight and the Yulee area are also generating steady appraisal activity. The new format is designed to handle the full range of residential property types, from rural homes on large lots to townhomes in dense planned developments, and the system will be tested across all of these scenarios in Northeast Florida's diverse housing market over the coming months.