What are Occupancy Verification Inspections, Who Needs Them, and Why (2024)

Lending institutions often find they need boots on the ground and eyes in the field in order to verify a property’s occupancy. Indeed, when underwriting a loan or foreclosing a property, lenders must find locally available, third-party Inspectors to perform Occupancy Verification Inspections on their behalf.

But why are occupancy verification services necessary? Who needs them? What do they accomplish? And why is TrendSource OnSite Inspections a premier provider of Occupancy Verification Inspections?

Let’s find out.

An Interest in Interest Rates

Federal regulations dictate the interest rate mortgage companies can charge for a home loan. These interest rates vary based on whether the property is the borrower’s primary residence, secondary residence, or will be rented out. Borrowers pay lower interest rates on primary residences and higher rates on properties they intend to rent out.

What are Occupancy Verification Inspections, Who Needs Them, and Why (1)

For this reason, lending institutions oftentimes seek out Occupancy Verification Inspection Services—it allows them to confirm their borrower is residing at the property and thus paying appropriate interest rates. On the other hand, if the Inspection reveals the property has been rented without the lender’s knowledge, banks can take corrective action.

Similarly, lending institutions may require an Occupancy Verification Inspection while performing due diligence on properties put up as collateral for a loan or refinance.

Occupancy Verification Services for Foreclosures

Lending institutions also find they require Occupancy Verification Inspections when they are foreclosing a property. Essentially, banks need to ensure that occupants have vacated the property under foreclosure and are not squatting.

Similarly, if a tenant misses a mortgage payment, banks may schedule an Occupancy verification inspection to see if the tenant has abandoned the property.

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Door Knocker Occupancy Verifications

TrendSource OnSite Inspections offers two types of Occupancy Verification Services.

Door Knocker Occupancy Verifications are the most common form of Occupancy Verification.

The Inspector arrives unannounced at the residence to verify the owner currently resides at the address, asking for photo identification. This type of Occupancy Inspection is favored by lending institutions looking to ensure the borrower does in fact reside at the property listed on a lending document.

Though unannounced, the visits do not come out of nowhere, and the borrower is notified in advance that an unannounced Inspection is forthcoming. Banks often rely on this type of Inspection after unsuccessfully attempting to contact the borrower directly.

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Scheduled Occupancy Verification Inspections

In Scheduled Occupancy Inspections, however, an Inspector schedules an appointment to meet the owner at their property at an agreed upon time. Scheduled Inspections are more exhaustive than Door Knocker Occupancy Verifications and include assessments of the property’s condition and needed repairs as well as confirming the occupancy.

Scheduled Occupancy Inspections are more common in foreclosures, when a lending institution wants to both verify occupancy as well as assess the property’s condition in anticipation of a foreclosure.

TrendSource OnSite Inspections Occupancy Verification Services

TrendSource OnSite Inspections is a premier provider of Occupancy Verification Services. Relying on its vast network of certified Inspectors, TrendSource Onsite Inspections offers Occupancy Verifications across the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands.

Our Inspectors and dedicated QA Team ensure that lending institutions get the information they need, when they need it.

As the economy continues to recover and the Biden administration assumes control, the need for Occupancy Verification Services is only expected to increase. TrendSource OnSite Inspections should be lending institution’s first choice, where they can find nationwide coverage and the industry experience necessary to responsibly execute Occupancy Verifications.

What are Occupancy Verification Inspections, Who Needs Them, and Why (4)

Topics:OnSite Inspections,Occupancy Verification,Lending Institutions

What are Occupancy Verification Inspections, Who Needs Them, and Why (2024)

FAQs

Why would a mortgage company send someone to verify occupancy? ›

An Interest in Interest Rates

For this reason, lending institutions oftentimes seek out Occupancy Verification Inspection Services—it allows them to confirm their borrower is residing at the property and thus paying appropriate interest rates.

What is the purpose of field verification inspections? ›

A field inspector examines properties and sends written and photographic reports to lenders, insurance companies and other interested parties. Inspectors could see whether anyone is occupying a property, assess damage, evaluate the property for a potential mortgage or check its condition after a foreclosure.

How do banks verify primary residence? ›

If the borrower indicates that the property will be their primary home, they usually are given 30 to 60 days to occupy the property. After that time, the lender may hire someone to physically verify occupancy, a practice known casually as an “occ knock”.

Why do I need a verification of mortgage? ›

For your lender, that's a good sign that you'll be able to repay your new mortgage. To confirm your creditworthiness, they may ask for a verification of mortgage (VOM). In some cases, your lender may be able to get the information they need from documents like your credit report or mortgage statements.

What is a verification of mortgage used for? ›

A Verification of Mortgage, also known as a VOM, is used to verify your existing monthly balance payments and to check for any late payments on the account. While reviewing a borrower's loan application for a new mortgage, lenders should verify the payment history of a previous one.

What are the three types of inspections conducted? ›

As you can see below.
  • The three most common types of quality inspections.
  • Pre-Production Inspection.
  • During Production Inspection.
  • Final Random Inspection.
Sep 30, 2017

Why is receiving inspections important? ›

Incoming inspections help monitor suppliers, particularly high-risk suppliers, and track their performance. All raw materials or components entering a facility should be verified that they conform to the quality of the incoming product as expected.

What is the reason for a site inspection and what should it include? ›

Site inspections are regular checks of a jobsite and the work taking place to verify that construction complies with plans and specifications, client requirements, and regulations. They help to ensure the quality and safety of both the construction process and the finished asset.

Does IRS ask for proof of primary residence? ›

Other types of proof may be required to establish where one's principal residence is. This can include utility bills with the occupant's name and address, a driver's license with the address, or a voter registration card.

Why do banks need address verification? ›

Address verification is one way banks and merchants can reduce the likelihood of fraud. You can take steps to further protect your credit card information by creating secure passwords and avoiding sharing your credit card information.

How do banks verify people? ›

To verify a bank account of a customer, financial institutions will request information like the account holder's name, bank account number, and routing number. They'll check these details against other customer documentation to ensure that there are no inconsistencies.

What is the occupancy clause on a mortgage? ›

An owner-occupancy clause is a specification on a mortgage loan stating that the owner of a house must live on that property for a certain period of time – usually 6 to 12 months. Owner-occupancy clauses allow lenders to verify your intent to use a house as a primary residence.

What is an intent to occupy? ›

A letter of intent to occupy is a concise legal document that you write stating your intention to live in the home you're mortgaging as your primary residence.

What is the owner occupancy clause? ›

The mortgage occupancy clause requires you to make your home your primary residence. Occupancy statements are there to protect the value of the home and the lender from losing money. If you lie about your property being owner-occupied, you'll be committing mortgage fraud.

How does the VA verify occupancy? ›

VA lenders use their best judgment to ensure that a borrower is occupying the property. You should ask your VA lender at closing to clarify what documents you may need to show proof of residency. Some documents commonly used to prove residency include: Utility bills.

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