Bottom line: treat the VA appraisal as a box to check for the loan, not as a guarantee the house is in good shape.
That’s exactly right. The VA only cares that the property meets their minimum standards—safe, sound, sanitary. It’s not a deep dive into the home’s condition. I’ve seen people get tripped up thinking the appraisal means “good to go,” but it really doesn’t cover things like roof age, HVAC issues, or hidden water damage.
From a financial perspective, skipping your own inspection can be a gamble. Even if money’s tight upfront, an independent inspection often uncovers stuff that could cost thousands down the road. I’ve had clients who thought they were saving $400 only to get hit with $4k in repairs a few months later... Not fun.
If you’re on the fence, consider it insurance for your investment. The peace of mind is usually worth way more than the inspection fee.
Honestly, I get the value of a full inspection, but for some buyers—especially if you're scraping together every dollar for closing—it can feel like a stretch. I ended up relying on the VA appraisal and did my own walk-through with a contractor friend. Not saying it's for everyone, but sometimes you have to weigh the risk against your actual budget. If you’re handy or know what to look for, it’s possible to get by... though yeah, there’s always that chance something sneaks by.
- Totally get where you’re coming from—sometimes you just have to make the numbers work and hope for the best.
- VA loans only *require* the appraisal, not a full inspection, so you didn’t skip anything mandatory.
- That said, I’ve seen a few buyers regret not doing a full inspection later when hidden issues popped up (think old wiring or foundation stuff).
- If you’ve got a contractor friend and know what to look for, you’re ahead of most. Just keep in mind, even pros miss things sometimes... houses love to hide surprises.
- Not every budget can stretch to cover everything upfront, and sometimes you just have to roll with it. Sounds like you made a solid call for your situation.
I’ve been down this road a couple times, and I’ll just say—skipping the inspection always made me nervous, even though it’s not technically required for VA loans. Like you mentioned, the VA only cares about the appraisal, which is mostly about making sure the place is worth what you’re paying and meets their minimum property standards. But that’s not the same as a full inspection, not by a long shot.
That said, I’ve seen a few buyers regret not doing a full inspection later when hidden issues popped up (think old wiring or foundation stuff).
This hits home for me. The first house I bought, I figured the appraisal would catch anything major. Turns out, the appraiser barely poked around—just checked the basics. Six months in, I found out the crawlspace had some pretty gnarly moisture issues. Ended up costing way more than an inspection would’ve. Lesson learned.
I get that sometimes you just can’t swing the extra cost upfront, especially with all the other fees piling up. But if there’s any way to budget for it, even if it means eating ramen for a month, it’s usually worth it. Even having a contractor buddy walk through is better than nothing, but like you said, houses are sneaky. My neighbor’s a retired electrician and he still missed some old knob-and-tube in his own place.
Not trying to scare anyone, just sharing what I wish I’d known. The VA’s requirements are pretty barebones—no inspection needed, just the appraisal—but that doesn’t mean you won’t run into surprises down the line. If you’re already under contract and can’t add an inspection, maybe see if you can negotiate a home warranty or something similar. It’s not perfect, but it might soften the blow if something big pops up.
Anyway, hope that helps someone avoid the “surprise crawlspace swamp” situation I landed in.
I hear you on the value of inspections, but I’ll play devil’s advocate here—sometimes, skipping the inspection isn’t as disastrous as it sounds. I know that’s not the popular opinion, and I definitely see where you’re coming from with your crawlspace story (yikes), but in some cases, especially with newer homes or condos where major systems are still under warranty, the risk might be a bit lower.
When I bought my last place, the market was nuts—waiving inspections was almost expected if you wanted your offer accepted. Not ideal, but that’s how it went. The VA appraisal actually did catch a couple things: a missing handrail and an old water heater that wasn’t up to code. Sure, it’s not as thorough as a full inspection, but sometimes those minimum property requirements do flag real issues. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe it was just a newer build.
I’m not saying people should skip inspections if they can help it—far from it. But sometimes the reality is you have to weigh your options. If waiving an inspection is the only way to get your foot in the door, and you’ve got some wiggle room in your budget for future repairs, it might not be the end of the world. Plus, like you mentioned, there are home warranties and even post-closing inspections (not perfect, but better than nothing).
Long story short: yes, an inspection is best practice. But I wouldn’t say everyone who skips one is guaranteed to regret it. Sometimes circumstances just don’t allow for it... and sometimes things work out okay anyway. Just depends on your risk tolerance and how much you trust what you’re buying.
