New UAD 3.6 Appraisal Form: What DFW Texas Buyers Need to Know Before November 2, 2026

If you're buying a home in Dallas-Fort Worth with a conventional loan and closing in November or December 2026, there's a change in the appraisal world you need to understand. On November 2, 2026, the old appraisal form system — the 1004, 1073, and other familiar form numbers — becomes mandatory to submit in a new format called UAD 3.6, replacing it with a single dynamic Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR). I'm Bond Peter Njoku (NMLS #2670329), a mortgage loan officer based in Garland, TX, and I want to walk you through what this actually means for your DFW home purchase and what, if anything, you need to do differently.

The short version: if you're buying with an FHA, VA, or USDA loan, this change doesn't affect you at all. If you're buying with a conventional loan, your appraisal experience will feel identical — the same appraiser, the same site visit, the same comparable sales analysis. The change is in how appraisal data is structured and submitted to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on the back end. But timing matters, and for buyers closing in late October or November, there are a few things worth knowing.

What Is UAD 3.6 and What Is the URAR?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have used a data standard called the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) since 2011 to capture consistent, structured data from residential appraisals. UAD 3.6 is a major update to that standard — and it replaces the old static form numbers (1004 for a single-family home, 1073 for a condo, 1025 for a multi-unit, etc.) with a single, flexible Uniform Residential Appraisal Report that adapts its layout based on the property type and scope of inspection.

The key difference for buyers is that the report you may see in your loan file will look different than what borrowers saw on a 2023 or 2024 appraisal. The sections and questions adjust dynamically based on property characteristics. But the appraiser's job is the same: measure the property, pull recent comparable sales from the market, apply adjustments, and form an independent professional opinion of value. None of that methodology changes on November 2.

UAD 3.6 vs Old Appraisal Format: What Actually Changes

Does UAD 3.6 Affect FHA, VA, or USDA Loans in DFW?

No — and this is the most important clarification I share with my DFW clients. FHA loans are insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which uses the FHA Roster Appraiser system and its own property standards. VA appraisals are conducted by VA-certified fee appraisers through the Veterans Administration. USDA loans use their own appraisal process. None of these programs submit data to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) the way Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do, so UAD 3.6 simply does not touch them.

If you're buying in Forney or Royse City with a USDA zero-down loan, or using your VA benefit in Garland or Rockwall, your appraisal in November 2026 looks exactly like your appraisal would have looked in November 2024. FHA buyers with the $563,500 DFW loan limit are also unaffected.

How Will the November 2 Deadline Affect My DFW Closing Timeline?

For most buyers, not at all. Here's why: the Broad Production Period for UAD 3.6 began on January 26, 2026, which means lenders and appraisers have been able to use the new URAR since early this year. Many appraisal management companies and experienced DFW appraisers have already been trained and submitting in the new format for several months. The November 2 date is the "mandatory" cutover — after that date, UCDP will not accept new UAD 2.6 submissions. But because the transition has been running since January, this isn't a surprise to anyone in the appraisal chain.

Where I do think buyers under contract in late October should pay attention: if you go under contract October 15 targeting a November 14 close and the appraisal is ordered on October 20, there's a five-business-day window before the November 2 cutover. A well-trained appraiser working in UAD 3.6 (which most already are) completes and submits without issue. But if an appraiser is behind on their training or their AMC is slower to transition, you could see a revision request. My advice: order the appraisal within three to five days of going under contract, and use a lender — me — who coordinates appraisal orders proactively rather than waiting.

A Real DFW Example: Buyer Under Contract in Plano, Closing Late October

Last month I worked with a family under contract on a $495,000 Plano home — conventional loan, 10% down, closing targeted for October 29. We went under contract September 18 and I ordered the appraisal the same day through our AMC. The appraiser scheduled for October 1 and submitted the completed URAR in UAD 3.6 format on October 8. Underwriting received a clean appraisal 21 days before closing — plenty of buffer regardless of any industry transition. The key was ordering early, not waiting for the inspection to clear first. At the $832,750 conforming limit in DFW, most Plano buyers at that price tier are using conventional financing, so UAD 3.6 will touch nearly every appraisal I coordinate in the fall cycle.

What Do DFW Buyers Need to Actually Do Before November 2?

If you're already under contract with a closing date before November 2: nothing different from normal. Your appraisal is likely already ordered or scheduled, and your appraiser is already familiar with the transition.

If you're targeting a November or December close on a conventional DFW loan, here's what I recommend:

1. Get pre-approved now, not after you find the house. Pre-approval is what lets me order the appraisal the day you go under contract. Buyers who are only pre-qualified lose 5–7 days on the front end of their timeline.
2. Ask your lender whether they use an AMC already trained on UAD 3.6. I do — and we've been submitting in the new format since the spring Broad Production Period. Ask any lender you're comparing.
3. Don't let the appraisal wait on the inspection report. Home inspections and appraisals can run in parallel. Waiting for inspection before ordering the appraisal costs you up to two weeks on your closing timeline.

For the vast majority of DFW buyers, UAD 3.6 is a back-end data format change that the lender and appraiser manage. Your job stays the same: find the home, go under contract, provide your documentation to your lender, and show up to closing.