Utah Secondary Irrigation Water Shares, Radon and Expansive Soil Appraisal Rules — Slickrock Skylight
Updated October 2026
A Utah property's water arrangements and soil conditions can affect financing even when the house looks move-in ready. Culinary service, secondary irrigation, transferable water shares, radon findings and foundation movement are different issues. An appraisal is not a substitute for investigating each one, and not every concern creates the same mortgage requirement.
Verify drinking water and irrigation separately
Culinary water supplies the home's potable water needs. Secondary water typically serves irrigation and should not be assumed suitable for drinking. Water shares may represent rights within an irrigation company, but their availability, transfer process and relationship to the parcel require documentation.
Before closing, establish:
- The source and reliability of the home's potable water.
- Whether irrigation comes through municipal service, a district or shares.
- Whether shares are included in the purchase and properly transferable.
- Outstanding assessments, transfer charges and recurring service costs.
- Any seasonal restrictions or obligations affecting intended use.
For a private well, testing and system requirements depend on the loan program and property circumstances. Confirm what the lender needs before scheduling inspections. A listing description that says water is available does not prove an adequate domestic supply or ownership of irrigation shares.
Distinguish radon testing from structural review
Radon cannot be reliably identified through a visual walkthrough. Testing provides information that an ordinary appraisal does not. An elevated result can lead to a negotiated mitigation plan, but radon testing is not universally required for every mortgage. Lender requirements and any documented condition determine the financing response.
Expansive soils can contribute to foundation movement, cracking and drainage problems. Cosmetic cracks alone do not establish structural failure, while significant movement may require an engineer's evaluation and a repair plan. An appraiser can identify observable concerns without determining their technical cause.
HUD FHA Mortgage Limits is an official starting point for FHA program resources, but county loan limits do not establish whether an individual property's condition is acceptable.
Coordinate repairs, value and closing cash
Ask whether unresolved conditions require repairs before closing, additional inspections or a financing structure that permits rehabilitation. Do not assume a seller credit cures a lender-required safety or structural repair. Repair escrows are available only when the applicable program and lender permit them.
Utah is a non-disclosure state, so public sale-price information can be incomplete. Appraisers still need credible comparable-market evidence when evaluating a property's value and unusual features.
Review the USDA rural mortgage guide and update your closing-cost estimate. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the purchase process. Slickrock Skylight treats utility documentation and property-condition findings as early underwriting inputs, not last-minute closing surprises.
Compare Current Mortgage Rates
Compare current APRs, points, fees, and estimated monthly payments from participating lenders below.
Loan Program Comparison: 2026 Benchmarks
Utah Secondary Irrigation Water Shares, Radon and Expansive Soil Appraisal Rules — 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 $832,750; FHA floor $541,287. 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.
- Utah Housing Corporation — state housing finance and property tax authority.
- Utah State Tax Commission Property Tax — state housing finance and property tax authority.
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.