Couldn’t agree more about the VA appraisal not being enough. I’ve seen folks get burned thinking “minimum standards” meant everything was solid. Ever tried fixing 40-year-old wiring after moving in? Not fun, and definitely not cheap. Why risk it if you don’t have to?
VA appraisal catches the big stuff—roof leaks, busted heaters, that sort of thing—but it’s not a home inspection. I’ve had clients who thought they were in the clear because the VA signed off, only to find out later their plumbing was held together by hope and duct tape. Spend the few hundred bucks on a real inspection. Trust me, it’s way cheaper than rewiring a house after you move in.
Couldn’t agree more with this. People hear “VA appraisal” and think it’s a green light for everything in the house, but that’s just not how it works. The VA appraiser is really only looking for obvious safety and habitability issues, not the nitty-gritty stuff that can end up costing you a fortune down the road. I learned that one the hard way—moved into a place that looked solid on paper, only to find out later the electrical was a total mess.
Honestly, I get why folks want to save money during the process, but skipping a real inspection is just rolling the dice. Even if you’re feeling pretty confident after the appraisal, it’s worth having someone crawl around in the attic or poke at the foundation. Peace of mind is worth a couple hundred bucks, especially when you’re about to drop six figures on a house.
I’d even argue that an inspection is more important than ever with older homes—some of those “updates” sellers brag about are just cosmetic cover-ups. Better safe than sorry...
You nailed it—VA appraisal is NOT a substitute for a real inspection. I’ve bought a few properties with VA loans, and every time, the appraiser just checked for the basics: no peeling paint, no exposed wires, no broken windows. That’s it. Meanwhile, I once skipped a full inspection on a “move-in ready” place and ended up with a $7k plumbing nightmare. Lesson learned. If you’re buying, especially with VA, always budget for your own inspector. It’s the only way to avoid those ugly surprises.
Yeah, the VA appraisal is really just a surface-level check. I’ve seen folks get confused and think it’s a full inspection—definitely not. I once thought “it passed VA, must be good,” then found out the crawlspace was a swamp. Never skipping an inspection again.