Short answerVA Minimum Property Requirements are the basic standards a house must meet before VA will guarantee the loan: safe, structurally sound, and sanitary. They are in Chapter 12 of the VA Lender's Handbook. VA revised them in 2026, removing some requirements for appraisals ordered after May 1, 2026. Common flags are paint, handrails, roofs, heat, water, and electrical safety.
What do the requirements cover?
Chapter 12 covers topics such as access to the property, adequate living space, heat, safe drinking water, sewage disposal, the roof, crawlspace access and ventilation, electrical safety, hot water, termite inspections in certain areas, and defective paint. The appraiser checks these while estimating value.
What did VA change in 2026?
VA issued Change 46 to its Lender's Handbook, removing five requirements it found unnecessary, effective for VA appraisals ordered after May 1, 2026. Ask the lender which rules apply to your appraisal date.
What happens when something does not meet the requirements?
The appraisal is completed subject to repairs. The lender decides how the repair must be documented before closing. VA also has a process for requesting a waiver of some repairs; the lender handles it.
If you are selling
Fix the common items before listing: peeling paint, handrails, missing covers, water heater discharge pipe. Keep utilities on. What FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers flag.
If you are buying
Look at the house with these items in mind before you offer, and agree up front on how required repairs will be handled. Buying with a VA loan in Southern Indiana.
Frequently asked questions
Is a VA appraisal stricter than FHA?
They are similar in purpose. Both check safety and soundness. The specific rules differ, so ask your lender.
Does VA require a termite inspection?
In some areas. Your lender will tell you whether your property needs one.
Who pays for VA required repairs?
That is negotiated under the purchase agreement. VA does not require the seller to pay.
Keep reading
Want to know what a buyer's inspector may find before they do?
Book a free pre listing condition walk. I walk the house with you, point out what inspectors and FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers tend to flag, and give you planning ranges so you can decide what to fix, credit, price in, or disclose.
Book a condition walkOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email john@yourpropertynegotiator.com.
The condition walk is a REALTOR® and contractor evaluation, not a home inspection, and it does not replace one. If you have already signed a listing agreement with another agent, please take these questions to your agent.
Looking at a house and not sure what you are getting into?
Ask for a free Before You Offer review. Send me the listing. I look over the photos, the seller's disclosure, and recent sales, then flag likely condition issues and planning cost ranges before you write an offer.
Request a Before You Offer reviewOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email john@yourpropertynegotiator.com.
The Before You Offer review is a REALTOR® and contractor review of the listing, not a home inspection. It is for buyers who are not already working with an agent. If you have an agent, please bring these questions to your agent.
Sources
- VA Pamphlet 26 7, Chapter 12, Minimum Property Requirements
- VA Pamphlet 26 7, Change 46 transmittal (effective for appraisals ordered after May 1, 2026)
Written by John Long, REALTOR®, 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate. Working contractor who has priced hundreds of home inspection repair requests. Former labor relations negotiator for a major manufacturer and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
John Long, REALTOR® · 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate · (812) 525-5489 · yourpropertynegotiator.com
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection, and not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Ask a real estate attorney about contracts and disclosure, a CPA about taxes, your lender about loan rules, and a licensed inspector or tradesperson about your house. Nothing here guarantees a sale price, net proceeds, repair cost, payment, timeline, appraisal, inspection result, or loan approval. Cost figures are planning estimates, not bids. I own Wardmark Property Operations LLC, a contracting company. You are always free to use any contractor you choose.