Title: VA Appraisal Isn’t the Same as a Home Inspection
Yeah, I’ve run into that confusion a lot—folks think the VA appraisal is like a full inspection, but it’s really not. Learned that the hard way on one of my first deals. The house looked great on paper, passed the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements, but when my inspector got in there, he found old knob-and-tube wiring hiding behind the walls. Would’ve been a nightmare to fix after closing. The seller ended up taking care of it, but only because we caught it early.
Honestly, I get why some buyers want to skip the extra cost, especially when money’s tight, but skipping an inspection is rolling the dice. The VA’s requirements are more about making sure the place isn’t falling apart or unsafe—they’re not digging deep for every little thing. Even newer homes can have surprises. I’d rather shell out a few hundred bucks up front than get stuck with a five-figure headache later... just my two cents.
The VA’s requirements are more about making sure the place isn’t falling apart or unsafe—they’re not digging deep for every little thing.
That’s been my experience too. I remember thinking the VA appraisal would catch everything, but it’s really just a surface-level check. We bought a place that looked solid, but our inspector found a leaky pipe under the kitchen sink that had been patched with duct tape—seriously. Made me wonder, has anyone ever had the VA appraiser actually catch something major, or is it always the home inspector who finds the real issues?
Honestly, I’ve never heard of a VA appraiser catching anything big either. They flagged chipped paint on a window at our place, but missed some old wiring in the attic that our inspector found right away. It’s weird—they’re strict about obvious safety stuff, but not much else. Makes me wonder if people assume the VA process is more thorough than it really is. I always tell friends to budget for a separate inspection, just in case.
Title: Does a VA loan require an inspection? What are the VA loan inspection requirements for buyers and spouses?
That’s been my experience too—VA appraisers seem laser-focused on a checklist of safety stuff, but they’re not really digging deep. I remember ours flagged a missing handrail and some peeling paint, but completely missed a leaky water heater that our own inspector caught. It’s almost like they’re just making sure the place isn’t falling down or a health hazard, not actually looking at the guts of the house.
I think a lot of folks get tripped up thinking the VA process is some kind of gold standard for home inspections. It’s really not. The appraisal is more about making sure the property meets minimum standards and is worth what you’re paying, not about finding every little problem. I always tell people: treat the VA appraisal as a box to check, but don’t skip a real inspection if you care about what you’re buying. It’s money well spent, honestly.
When we refinanced with a VA loan last year, I remember thinking the appraisal would be super thorough, but it was honestly pretty surface-level. The appraiser pointed out a broken window lock and some chipped steps, but didn’t even mention the old electrical panel that our inspector later flagged as a fire risk. It’s wild how much gets missed if you just rely on the VA checklist. I’d say if you’re buying, don’t skip a real inspection—saved us a headache down the road.
