Okay so I've been lurking here for a while and figured I'd finally post since I just got my results back yesterday and I PASSED. Third time's the charm I guess. My first two attempts I was basically just reading through the HUD handbook and hoping for the best, which... yeah, doesn't work. The appraisal and property eligibility sections absolutely destroyed me both times.
What actually made the difference was finding a decent FHA practice test that mimicked the real question style. The wording on the actual exam is weirdly specific — like they'll ask about minimum property standards in a way that sounds almost right but one word changes the whole answer. I also went through an FHA study guide that broke down the 203(b) vs 203(k) loan differences since that kept tripping me up. Spent about 3 weeks, maybe 45 minutes a day, focused on my weak spots instead of reviewing stuff I already knew.
Anyone else here prepping right now? Happy to share more specific FHA exam tips on the sections I struggled with — property condition requirements and seller concession limits were my personal nemesis. Just ask.