VA MPRs

VA Loan Property Requirements

Around here in Bellevue and in Sarpy County, we see a lot of VA loans because of Offutt Air Force Base and the large military community. VA loans are great loans for our military members to use when buying homes. And like FHA loans, VA will have some things to say about properties it guarantees. It wants to make sure the property meets basic safety, sanitary and structural integrity standards.

The Loan Process

The lender will schedule an appraisal with the VA. The VA will send out one of its inspectors to look over the property and make recommendations. These items will need to be remedied in order for the loan to proceed. Some items can be appealed but not if they relate to structural integrity or safety.

What Are Some of the Things the Appraiser Looks At?

The appraiser wants to make sure the house meets local codes. The VA will want any items not in line with local code to be fixed. The house cannot be under power lines. The heating and air conditioning units need to be big enough to service the house. The house must be accessible from a public or private street and not go through another property – i.e., it’s not landlocked.

The Specific Guidelines

The guidelines are several pages long and are a bit much for a blog post. However, you can find a Word document from the VA here. It’s called “Chapter 12, Minimum Property Requirements.”

You can also see VA’s website.