Hey everyone, I’m in the process of buying my first home using a VA loan, and I’ve been hearing a lot about the VA loan house inspection requirements. I know that the VA appraisal is different from a traditional home inspection, but I'm still a bit unclear on exactly what they look for.
What I do know is that the property needs to meet certain safety and livability standards, but I’m curious – what’s the most common issues that could hold up the process? Is there anything specific I should be prepared for during the appraisal? Any advice or insights would be appreciated! Thanks! 🙏
Dream Home Mortgage here—great question, and congrats on using your VA benefit! Quick clarity: a VA appraisal checks value and VA Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs) for safety, soundness, and sanitation. It is not a full home inspection, so still hire a home inspector.
Common issues that can delay VA closings:
- Roof: missing shingles, active leaks, obvious end‑of‑life.
- Peeling/chipping paint (especially pre‑1978 for potential lead).
- Safety items: missing handrails, broken steps, trip hazards.
- Electrical: exposed wiring, missing outlet/switch covers, no GFCIs near water.
- Heating: inoperative or inadequate primary heat source.
- Plumbing: leaks, nonworking water heater, missing TPR discharge pipe.
- Windows/doors: broken panes, won’t open/close properly (egress/safety).
- Wood rot/termite damage; pest reports required in many states.
- Water/septic: failed well test or obvious septic issues.
- Utilities off during appraisal (appraiser can’t verify systems).
How to prepare:
- Keep all utilities on and accessible for the appraisal.
- Install smoke/CO detectors, GFCIs, and handrails before the visit.
- Address peeling paint and minor safety repairs early.
- If on well/septic, schedule tests proactively.
- Work with an agent/lender experienced in VA. If value looks tight, be ready for Tidewater (you’ll have a short window to provide comps).
Repairs tied to safety/sanitation usually must be completed before closing; limited weather‑related escrows may be possible case‑by‑case.
If you want, DM us your property details and we’ll flag likely MPR items before you pay for the appraisal, and walk you through the process step‑by‑step. – Dream Home Mortgage
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VA appraisals are definitely thorough, but sometimes it feels like they’re looking for reasons to make you fix stuff you didn’t even know was broken. I get the safety thing, but as someone trying to buy a place without draining my emergency ramen fund, some of these “must fix” items can be a pain. I’ve seen houses with a little peeling paint get flagged, and suddenly you’re negotiating with the seller over a $200 paint job. Not saying skip the repairs, but sometimes it feels like overkill, especially on older homes. Anyone else feel like the VA’s definition of “move-in ready” is a little... optimistic?
“it feels like they’re looking for reasons to make you fix stuff you didn’t even know was broken.”
- Preach. It’s like, “Congrats on your new home! Now, here’s a scavenger hunt for all the things you didn’t notice.”
- Had a buddy get flagged for a missing handrail on three steps. Three. Steps.
- I get the safety logic, but sometimes it’s more “HGTV” than “hazard prevention.”
- If you’re tight on cash, maybe ask the seller to cover small repairs or roll it into closing costs? Saved my ramen stash that way.
- At least they don’t check for expired milk in the fridge… yet.
Title: VA loan house inspection requirements
Yeah, the handrail thing is real. My cousin’s place almost didn’t clear because the back porch had a single loose board—like, not even dangerous, just a little wobbly. The appraiser flagged it and suddenly it was a “trip hazard.” Ended up delaying closing by a week while the seller’s handyman came out to fix it.
One thing I noticed is they’re super picky about peeling paint if the house is older (pre-1978 I think). Lead-based paint rules or something. Even if it’s just on a window sill, they want it scraped and repainted. Same with broken window panes or missing screens—stuff you’d probably just live with for a while if you weren’t using a VA loan.
I get why they do it, but sometimes it feels nitpicky. My inspector pointed out that the VA doesn’t care about cosmetic stuff like ugly carpet or ancient appliances, but they’ll zero in on things like GFCI outlets near sinks or making sure there’s no evidence of roof leaks. Electrical panels without covers seem to be another big one.
If you’re still house hunting, might be worth bringing a checklist to showings. I started looking for obvious things like missing smoke detectors or loose railings just to avoid surprises later. Not that I caught everything, but it helped.
And yeah, asking the seller to handle repairs is pretty common—my agent said it’s almost expected with VA loans. Just be ready for some back-and-forth if the seller’s not used to it.
