VA Home Inspection Requirements in Arizona (2026)

<p class="byline">By Jerald Acosta, Loan Advisor, NMLS #1388911 · A to Z Home Loans LLC, NMLS #2449185 · Published November 2, 2026 · Last updated November 2, 2026</p> <p><strong>The VA does not require a home inspection.</strong> It requires a [VA appraisal](/va-loan-requirements-2026), and the appraiser checks the house against the VA's Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs) while figuring out what it is worth. Those are two different jobs done by two different people, and mixing them up is how veterans end up either skipping an inspection they needed or panicking about a "VA inspection" that was never going to happen.</p> <p>This page covers what the VA appraiser actually looks at, what the appraisal costs and how long it takes in Arizona under the fee table that took effect May 1, 2026, the termite report Arizona requires on every VA purchase, what happens when the appraiser flags a repair, and why you should still hire your own inspector. If you have not read the full qualification checklist yet, start with <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loan-requirements-2026">VA loan requirements in 2026</a> and come back here for the property side.</p> <nav class="toc" aria-label="Table of contents"> <p><strong>On this page</strong></p> <ol> <li><a href="#appraisal-vs-inspection">VA appraisal vs. home inspection</a></li> <li><a href="#mpr-list">What the VA appraiser checks: the MPR list</a></li> <li><a href="#arizona">Arizona specifics: termite report, fees, turn times</a></li> <li><a href="#repairs">When the appraiser flags a repair</a></li> <li><a href="#why-fix-first">Why the VA makes you fix the small stuff first</a></li> <li><a href="#low-value">When the value comes in low</a></li> <li><a href="#own-inspection">Should you still get your own inspection?</a></li> <li><a href="#wont-pass">When the house won't pass</a></li> <li><a href="#not-right-fit">When A to Z Home Loans isn't the right fit</a></li> <li><a href="#faq">Quick answers</a></li> </ol> </nav> <h2 id="appraisal-vs-inspection">VA Appraisal vs. Home Inspection: Different Jobs</h2> <p>The appraisal is for the lender and the VA. The inspection is for you. Here is the split.</p> <table> <thead> <tr><th></th><th>VA appraisal</th><th>Home inspection</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td>Required?</td><td>Yes, on every VA purchase and cash-out [refinance](/calculators/refinance) (the <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-irrrl-streamline-refinance">IRRRL</a> usually skips it)</td><td>No. Optional, and your choice of inspector</td></tr> <tr><td>Who picks the person</td><td>The VA assigns a VA fee appraiser from its panel. Neither you nor the lender chooses</td><td>You do</td></tr> <tr><td>Who it protects</td><td>The lender and the VA guaranty</td><td>You</td></tr> <tr><td>What it answers</td><td>What is the home worth, and does it meet the MPRs (safe, structurally sound, sanitary)</td><td>What is the condition of everything, how old is it, what will fail next</td></tr> <tr><td>Cost in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties</td><td>$750 single-family or condo, $800 [manufactured home](/manufactured-mobile-home-loans-arizona) (VA maximum, effective May 1, 2026)</td><td>Set by the inspector, not the VA. Typically a few hundred dollars</td></tr> <tr><td>Turn time</td><td>6 business days in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal; 10 in the rural counties</td><td>Usually a few days to schedule, report same day or next</td></tr> <tr><td>Can it kill the deal</td><td>Yes, if the value is short or an MPR repair isn't made</td><td>Only if you walk under your inspection contingency</td></tr> </tbody> </table> <p>The appraiser reports what is readily visible. An inspector opens the panel, runs the AC, fills the tubs and tells you the water heater has two years left. If the appraisal is the only set of eyes on the house, you are buying it mostly blind.</p> <h2 id="mpr-list">What the VA Appraiser Checks: The Minimum Property Requirements</h2> <p>The MPRs live in Chapter 12 of VA Pamphlet 26-7, the Lender's Handbook. The standard for an existing home is that it is "safe, structurally sound and sanitary." In practice the appraiser is looking for these items, and the house has to pass each one or get fixed before the loan can close.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Water and sanitation.</strong> A continuing supply of safe drinking water, domestic hot water, working toilets and bath, and a safe way to dispose of sewage. A private well or septic system has its own rules (Chapter 12.08). If the home is on a well, expect the appraiser to call for a water test.</li> <li><strong>Heating.</strong> A permanent heat source that keeps the home healthful and comfortable. A wood stove can't be the only heat; there has to be a conventional system that keeps plumbed areas at 50°F or higher. Arizona note: there is no MPR requiring air conditioning, but an appraiser will flag a dead AC unit as a mechanical defect if it is the home's cooling system and obviously not working.</li> <li><strong>Roof.</strong> Must keep moisture out and have reasonable remaining life. If a defective roof already has three or more layers of shingles, all of them come off before the new one goes on.</li> <li><strong>Electrical.</strong> Adequate power for lighting and the home's equipment, with no exposed wiring, open splices or other visible hazards.</li> <li><strong>Mechanical systems.</strong> Must operate safely, be protected from the elements, and have reasonable remaining utility. Capacity and quality are judged, not just whether it turns on.</li> <li><strong>Crawl space and attic.</strong> Access, no debris, proper venting, joists high enough off the dirt to get under them, and no standing water or excessive dampness. Natural ventilation of attics and crawl spaces so moisture doesn't rot the framing.</li> <li><strong>Defective paint on homes built before 1978.</strong> Chipping, peeling or flaking paint on a pre-1978 home is assumed to be lead-based and must be corrected: scrape, clean and repaint with two coats of non-lead paint, or remove or cover the surface. Most of central Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale and Tucson's older neighborhoods are pre-1978 housing, so this one comes up constantly.</li> <li><strong>Wood-destroying insects, fungus and dry rot.</strong> The appraiser reports visible evidence. Separately, Arizona requires a termite inspection report on every VA purchase, covered below.</li> <li><strong>Access.</strong> Safe pedestrian and vehicle access from a public or private street with an all-weather surface. A private road needs a permanent recorded easement and a maintenance agreement. You can't have to walk through another unit to reach yours.</li> <li><strong>Hazards.</strong> Nothing that threatens the health or safety of the occupants, the structural soundness of the home, or normal use of the property. Settlement, leakage, decay and termite damage make the home unacceptable until fixed.</li> <li><strong>Non-residential use.</strong> A home business is fine if it stays subordinate to the residential use and takes up no more than 25% of the floor area.</li> <li><strong>Manufactured homes.</strong> Must be on a permanent foundation and titled as real property. The full list is in our <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/manufactured-mobile-home-loans-arizona">manufactured and [mobile home](/manufactured-mobile-home-loans-arizona) loan guide</a>.</li> </ul> <p>Two things the VA used to check and no longer does, as of appraisals ordered on or after May 1, 2026 (Change 46 to the Handbook): the standalone radon gas topic was removed entirely, and the non-vented space heater subtopic was dropped. If you are reading an older checklist that lists radon as an MPR, it is out of date.</p> <p>Cosmetic items are not MPRs. Worn carpet, a dated kitchen, a cracked driveway: none of that fails a VA appraisal. Our <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loan-disadvantages">honest look at VA loan disadvantages</a> covers when these standards cost you a house.</p> <h2 id="arizona">Arizona Specifics: The Termite Report, Appraisal Fees and Turn Times</h2> <h3>The wood-destroying insect report is required statewide</h3> <p>The VA publishes a list of states where a wood-destroying insect (WDI) inspection is required on every VA purchase and cash-out refinance, and Arizona is on it for the entire state, every county. That is a VA rule, not a lender overlay, and it applies even if the appraiser saw no evidence of termites.</p> <p>In Arizona the report is the state's Wood-Destroying Insect Inspection Report (WDIIR), issued by a pest control business licensed through the Arizona Department of Agriculture's Pest Management Division. Your agent orders it from a licensed termite company, and the lender needs the report before closing. If it finds active infestation or damage, treatment and repairs get added to the fix-it list.</p> <p>Who pays: since June 15, 2022 (VA Circular 26-22-11), the veteran is allowed to pay for the termite inspection and for any repairs needed to meet the MPRs. Before that, the rule in most states was that the veteran could not pay for the termite report. The VA still encourages you to negotiate it onto the seller's side, and in Arizona the termite report is often negotiated onto the seller, but you are no longer blocked from closing if the seller refuses.</p> <h3>What the VA appraisal costs in Arizona and how long it takes</h3> <p>The VA sets a maximum appraisal fee and a required turn time by county. These are the figures from the VA Appraisal Fees and Timeliness Table effective May 1, 2026.</p> <table> <thead> <tr><th>Arizona counties</th><th>Single-family</th><th>Condo</th><th>Manufactured home</th><th>Turn time</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td>Maricopa, Pima, Pinal</td><td>$750</td><td>$750</td><td>$800</td><td>6 business days</td></tr> <tr><td>Apache, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Yavapai, Yuma</td><td>$850</td><td>$850</td><td>$950</td><td>10 business days</td></tr> <tr><td>All other Arizona counties (Cochise, Gila, Santa Cruz)</td><td>$750</td><td>$750</td><td>$800</td><td>7 business days</td></tr> </tbody> </table> <p>The clock starts the first business day after the VA assigns the appraiser; weekends and federal holidays don't count. Add a few days for the lender's Staff Appraisal Reviewer to issue the Notice of Value, and plan on roughly two weeks from "appraisal ordered" to "value in hand." A 21-day appraisal contingency is workable in Phoenix; anything shorter in Yavapai or Mohave County is asking for an extension.</p> <p>You pay the appraisal fee, usually up front when it is ordered. It is a VA allowable fee and shows on your Closing Disclosure. A to Z Home Loans does not add a lender fee, processing fee or underwriting fee on top of it.</p> <h2 id="repairs">When the Appraiser Flags a Repair</h2> <p>If the appraiser finds an MPR problem, it goes into the appraisal report as a condition. The Notice of Value will say the loan is approved subject to that repair. Here is how it plays out.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Someone has to fix it before closing.</strong> MPR repairs are completed and re-inspected before the loan funds. The appraiser or an inspector certifies the work is done.</li> <li><strong>The VA does not say who pays.</strong> It is a negotiation. The seller can fix it, you can fix it (allowed since Circular 26-22-11), or you can split it. In a seller's market the seller may push it back on you; in a buyer's market they usually eat it.</li> <li><strong>Your contract decides what happens if nobody will pay.</strong> The Arizona purchase contract's inspection and appraisal contingencies, plus the VA amendatory clause, give you the exit. Talk to your agent before you let a repair deadline lapse.</li> <li><strong>Bigger repairs can push the seller toward another buyer.</strong> This is the one seller objection to [VA offers](/why-sellers-reject-va-loans) that has teeth, and our post on <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/why-sellers-reject-va-loans">why sellers reject VA offers and how to make yours stick</a> explains how to get ahead of it: disclose the property's condition early and make the repair conversation part of your offer, not a surprise after the appraisal.</li> </ol> <p>The repairs that come up most on Arizona VA files: peeling paint on pre-1978 homes, water heaters missing a TPR drain line, dead evaporative coolers, roof patches with no remaining life, and termite damage found on the WDIIR.</p> <h2 id="why-fix-first">Why the VA Makes You Fix the Small Stuff First</h2> <p>Some people don't like VA loans, and this is usually the reason. The appraiser calls out chipping paint, a cracked window, an outlet with no cover, and the deal has to stop until somebody fixes it. It feels like the VA is being picky about things you could handle in an afternoon.</p> <p>Here is how I see it after ten years of watching these files close. The VA is trying to protect you from things that look fine on a Saturday walkthrough but are not worth buying into. If you want the house, get the issues corrected first, then go back and buy it. Do not take them on as part of the move.</p> <p>Yes, every one of those items is an easy fix for a DIYer, and as a veteran you probably take pride in being able to handle them yourself. But you are not fixing them on a quiet weekend. You are fixing them while you are moving, changing addresses, setting up utilities, and making your first mortgage payment. Each one is a small cut. Together they are death by a thousand cuts, and that is the last thing you want to be dealing with in your first month in a house. The projects you take on in a new home should be the ones you choose, not the ones you inherited because nobody wanted to argue with the appraiser.</p> <p>And the items on the list are not random. An exposed outlet can hurt somebody. A broken window can hurt somebody. Chipping paint on a home built before 1978 is assumed to be lead-based, and lead paint can make a child or a pet seriously sick. That is what every repair on a VA Notice of Value is about: health and safety, nothing else. Get them buttoned up before you move in, and then pick your own projects.</p> <h2 id="low-value">When the Value Comes in Low</h2> <p>The MPRs are half of the appraisal. The other half is value, and a short appraisal is the more common deal-killer. Three things protect you.</p> <p><strong>Tidewater.</strong> If the VA appraiser expects to come in under the contract price, VA procedure requires the appraiser to notify the lender's point of contact before finalizing. Your side then has two business days to send the appraiser additional comparable sales that support the price. This is a VA-only courtesy. Conventional appraisals do not give you a heads-up.</p> <p><strong>Reconsideration of Value.</strong> After the Notice of Value is issued, you can request a formal reconsideration through the lender with new comps and a written explanation. It is not a guarantee, but it is a real second look.</p> <p><strong>The VA escape clause.</strong> Federal regulation (38 CFR 36.4303(k)(4)) requires every VA purchase contract to include the amendatory clause. If the appraised value comes in below the purchase price, you can cancel and get your earnest money back. Or you can renegotiate the price, or pay the difference in cash; the loan is capped at the lower of the price or the appraised value. The lender has to confirm the clause is in your contract before closing or the VA will not guarantee the loan.</p> <p>A VA appraisal is valid for six months on an existing home, so if the deal survives a Tidewater delay you are not racing an expiration date.</p> <h2 id="own-inspection">Should You Still Get Your Own Home Inspection? Yes.</h2> <p>The VA appraisal tells you the house is not a hazard today. It does not tell you the roof underlayment is cracked and the tile roof will leak the first monsoon, that the AC is 19 years old in a climate where 115°F summers kill compressors, that the home has polybutylene supply lines, or that the sewer line has roots in it. None of that is an MPR. All of it is money.</p> <p>Hire an inspector who is certified by the Arizona Board of Technical Registration, which licenses home inspectors in this state. Order it inside your contract's inspection period, typically 10 days from acceptance under the standard Arizona REALTORS purchase contract, and schedule the termite inspection at the same time so both reports are in hand before the appraisal comes back. For most Phoenix homes the inspection runs a few hundred dollars, set by the inspector, and it is the best money you will spend in the transaction. If the inspector finds something that is also an MPR issue, you now know about it before the appraiser does and can negotiate the repair with the seller on your timeline instead of the VA's.</p> <h2 id="wont-pass">When the House Won't Pass</h2> <p>Some houses are not going to meet the MPRs without real work, and the seller will not do it. Your options:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Negotiate and pay for it yourself.</strong> Allowed since 2022. Makes sense for a few thousand dollars of paint and safety items on a house priced right. Run the numbers on our <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/calculators/purchase">purchase payment calculator</a> with the repair cost added to your cash to close.</li> <li><strong>Switch to FHA.</strong> FHA has its own minimum property standards and they are close to the VA's, so this rarely solves a condition problem. It helps if the issue is a condo that is not VA-approved but is on FHA's list. See <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/fha-loans-arizona">FHA loan requirements in Arizona</a>.</li> <li><strong>Switch to conventional.</strong> Fewer condition requirements, at the cost of a [down payment](/down-payment-options-arizona) and PMI. Ask for the side-by-side before you give up the VA benefit.</li> <li><strong>Buy it as an investment instead.</strong> If you won't live in it, VA is the wrong tool because of the occupancy rule. A <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/dscr-loans-real-estate-investors">[DSCR](/dscr-loans-real-estate-investors) loan</a> qualifies on rent, though the lender still appraises.</li> <li><strong>Walk.</strong> The escape clause and your contingencies exist for exactly this.</li> </ul> <h2 id="not-right-fit">When A to Z Home Loans Isn't the Right Fit</h2> <ul> <li>You want a renovation loan (VA alteration and repair, FHA 203(k)) to finance a new roof and panel into the mortgage. We do not offer them; say so on the first call and I will point you to someone who does.</li> <li>The property is raw land, a commercial building, or a house you will not occupy. The VA won't guarantee the first two, and the third is a <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/dscr">DSCR</a> conversation, not a VA one.</li> <li>You are buying a tiny home on wheels or a manufactured home still titled as a vehicle. Neither meets the MPRs; a HUD-code manufactured home on a permanent foundation does.</li> <li>You need a home inspector or a termite company. I can tell you what the VA will look for, but I am a mortgage broker, not an inspector, and I don't take referral fees from either.</li> </ul> <p>Everything else on the VA side, from the <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va/coe">[Certificate of Eligibility](/va-loan-requirements-2026)</a> to the appraisal order to closing, is what we do all day. Details on the product are on the <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va">VA loan page</a> and the full Arizona guide is <a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loans-arizona">VA loans in Arizona: who qualifies, what it covers and how to use it</a>.</p> <h2 id="cta">Under Contract or About to Write an Offer?</h2> <p>Fifteen minutes is enough to tell you whether the house you are looking at is likely to have MPR trouble, what your appraisal contingency dates should be, and how to structure the repair language so the seller says yes. Call or text 623-498-9251, or <a href="https://calendly.com/jacosta001/15minmeeting">book a 15-minute call</a>. No lender fees, no processing fee, no underwriting fee.</p> <p class="disclaimer">Jerald Acosta, NMLS #1388911. A to Z Home Loans LLC, NMLS #2449185, 3025 E Cortez St, Phoenix AZ 85028. This article is informational, not a commitment to lend. Appraisal fees and turn times are from the VA Appraisal Fees and Timeliness Table effective May 1, 2026 and are maximums the VA allows; MPR rules are from VA Pamphlet 26-7 Chapter 12 as revised by Change 46. Figures current as of November 2, 2026. A to Z Home Loans is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.</p> <h2 id="faq">Quick Answers</h2> <details><summary>Does the VA require a home inspection?</summary><p>No. The VA requires an appraisal by a VA-assigned appraiser who checks the home against the Minimum Property Requirements. A home inspection is optional and is for your benefit, not the lender's. Get one anyway.</p></details> <details><summary>What does a VA appraiser look for?</summary><p>Value, and whether the home is safe, structurally sound and sanitary: working heat, safe water and sewage, a roof that keeps water out, no exposed wiring, no defective paint on pre-1978 homes, no termite or dry rot damage, safe access, and no hazards to the occupants or the structure. Cosmetic condition is not part of it.</p></details> <details><summary>How much does a VA appraisal cost in Arizona in 2026?</summary><p>The VA maximum effective May 1, 2026 is $750 for a single-family home or condo and $800 for a manufactured home in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, and $850 / $950 in Apache, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Yavapai and Yuma counties. Turn time is 6 business days in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal, 10 in those rural counties, and 7 elsewhere.</p></details> <details><summary>Is a termite inspection required for a VA loan in Arizona?</summary><p>Yes, statewide, on every VA purchase and cash-out refinance. Arizona is on the VA's list of states where a wood-destroying insect inspection is required. The report is Arizona's WDIIR from a pest company licensed by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Since June 2022 the veteran is allowed to pay for it, though it is often negotiated onto the seller.</p></details> <details><summary>Who pays for repairs the VA appraiser requires?</summary><p>Whoever the contract says. The VA does not assign it. The seller can pay, the buyer can pay (allowed since VA Circular 26-22-11 in June 2022), or they can split it. Repairs must be completed and verified before closing.</p></details> <details><summary>What happens if the VA appraisal comes in low?</summary><p>Under the Tidewater procedure your side gets two business days to send the appraiser supporting comps before the value is final. After the Notice of Value you can request a Reconsideration of Value. If the value still falls short, the VA escape clause lets you cancel and keep your earnest money, renegotiate the price, or pay the difference in cash.</p></details> <details><summary>Can a house fail a VA appraisal for a dead air conditioner?</summary><p>There is no MPR that requires air conditioning. But a mechanical system that is present and not operating safely or at all can be flagged as a defective condition, and in Arizona appraisers do flag dead AC units. Expect it to show up as a repair condition on the Notice of Value.</p></details> <details><summary>How long is a VA appraisal good for?</summary><p>Six months for an existing home. If your deal is delayed by a Tidewater review or repair negotiation, you are not normally racing the appraisal's expiration.</p></details> <details><summary>Why does the VA care about chipping paint or a broken window?</summary><p>Because every item on the VA repair list is a health or safety item. Pre-1978 paint is assumed to be lead-based, an exposed outlet or a broken window can injure someone, and the VA will not guarantee a loan on a hazard. They are easy fixes, but get them done before closing so you are not inheriting a to-do list on move-in week.</p></details> <h2>Related reading</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loan-requirements-2026">VA Loan Requirements in 2026: Who Qualifies and What You Actually Need</a></li> <li><a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/why-sellers-reject-va-loans">Why Sellers Reject VA Offers, and How to Make Yours Stick</a></li> <li><a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loan-disadvantages">The Disadvantages of a VA Loan, From Someone Who Sells Them</a></li> <li><a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/va-loan-house-hacking">VA Loan House Hacking: Buy a Fourplex With $0 Down</a></li> <li><a href="https://atozhomeloans.com/manufactured-mobile-home-loans-arizona">Manufactured and Mobile Home Loans in Arizona</a></li> </ul> <h2>Sources</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/appraiser_cv_local_req.asp" rel="noopener">VA Local Requirements: states requiring a wood-destroying insect inspection</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/appraiser_fee_schedule.asp" rel="noopener">VA Appraisal Fees and Timeliness Table, effective May 1, 2026</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/documents/circulars/26-22-11.pdf" rel="noopener">VA Circular 26-22-11: Veterans may pay for wood-destroying pest inspections and MPR repairs</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/escape-clause.asp" rel="noopener">VA Escape Clause</a></li> <li><a href="https://agriculture.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/WDIIR-Guidance%20Document.pdf" rel="noopener">Arizona Department of Agriculture, Pest Management Division: Guidance for Completing the WDIIR Form</a></li> <li><a href="https://btr.az.gov/" rel="noopener">Arizona Board of Technical Registration (home inspector certification)</a></li> </ul> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"VA Home Inspection Requirements: The VA Doesn't Inspect Your House. 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A home inspection is optional and is for your benefit, not the lender's. Get one anyway."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What does a VA appraiser look for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Value, and whether the home is safe, structurally sound and sanitary: working heat, safe water and sewage, a roof that keeps water out, no exposed wiring, no defective paint on pre-1978 homes, no termite or dry rot damage, safe access, and no hazards to the occupants or the structure. Cosmetic condition is not part of it."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much does a VA appraisal cost in Arizona in 2026?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The VA maximum effective May 1, 2026 is $750 for a single-family home or condo and $800 for a manufactured home in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, and $850 / $950 in Apache, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Yavapai and Yuma counties. Turn time is 6 business days in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal, 10 in those rural counties, and 7 elsewhere."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is a termite inspection required for a VA loan in Arizona?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, statewide, on every VA purchase and cash-out refinance. Arizona is on the VA's list of states where a wood-destroying insect inspection is required. The report is Arizona's WDIIR from a pest company licensed by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Since June 2022 the veteran is allowed to pay for it, though it is often negotiated onto the seller."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who pays for repairs the VA appraiser requires?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Whoever the contract says. The VA does not assign it. The seller can pay, the buyer can pay (allowed since VA Circular 26-22-11 in June 2022), or they can split it. Repairs must be completed and verified before closing."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What happens if the VA appraisal comes in low?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Under the Tidewater procedure your side gets two business days to send the appraiser supporting comps before the value is final. After the Notice of Value you can request a Reconsideration of Value. If the value still falls short, the VA escape clause lets you cancel and keep your earnest money, renegotiate the price, or pay the difference in cash."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can a house fail a VA appraisal for a dead air conditioner?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"There is no MPR that requires air conditioning. But a mechanical system that is present and not operating safely or at all can be flagged as a defective condition, and in Arizona appraisers do flag dead AC units. Expect it to show up as a repair condition on the Notice of Value."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How long is a VA appraisal good for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Six months for an existing home. If your deal is delayed by a Tidewater review or repair negotiation, you are not normally racing the appraisal's expiration."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why does the VA care about chipping paint or a broken window?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Because every item on the VA repair list is a health or safety item. Pre-1978 paint is assumed to be lead-based, an exposed outlet or a broken window can injure someone, and the VA will not guarantee a loan on a hazard. They are easy fixes, but get them done before closing so you are not inheriting a to-do list on move-in week."}}]} </script>