Although they've never spoken with one another and live hundreds of miles apart--the Kehses in Orefield, Pa., near Allentown, and the Cloggs in Chesterfield Township outside Detroit--they share the same dilemma.

If the Cloggs' and Kehses' experiences were unique, they wouldn't draw national attention. But housing experts say that hundreds of unsuspecting first-time buyers around the country are falling into the trap that snared the Cloggs and the Kehses:

The Kehses and the Cloggs, and several other families with appraisal complaints, contacted this reporter after failing to get a response from FHA authorities and other public officials. Their experiences should be a warning to anyone considering FHA financing, particularly as a first-time purchaser.