The VA-Ready Home Buyer Guide

If you're using a VA loan for the first time, you've probably heard the headline: zero down payment. That part is true for many eligible buyers. What doesn't get said enough is that zero down does not mean zero dollars during the transaction. Money can come up before you ever reach the closing table, an inspection here, a deposit there, and if nobody tells you that in advance, it feels like a surprise instead of a plan.

This guide is the 36 questions I hear most from military buyers, answered the way I'd answer them sitting across from you. It's organized in the order you'll actually live through them, pre-approval, house hunting, writing the offer, inspections, the appraisal, insurance, closing, and getting your keys. Read it start to finish, or keep it nearby and jump to the part that matches where you are right now.

One question shows up twice in here, because it matters twice: what money should you have ready before you write an offer. Question 4 and question 30 both cover it. That's not a repeat by accident. It's the single most common misunderstanding I see, and I'd rather you read it twice than find out once, at the worst possible moment.

5. Can I buy any house with a VA loan?

Not every property qualifies. The home has to meet VA's property requirements, and some property types carry extra rules. When we tour, I'm already watching for anything that could trip that up, before you fall in love with a house that can't close.

6. Should I avoid older homes because I'm using a VA loan?

No. An older home isn't automatically a problem. We just look closer at its condition and its major systems. A well-maintained older home can be a great choice, and plenty of my buyers have bought one.

7. What should I look for when we're touring homes?

We look past the pretty kitchen and the paint colors. I'm watching the roof, the HVAC, the electrical, the plumbing, the windows, any sign of moisture or wood damage, and the overall condition. You don't need to know how to inspect a house, that's what professionals are for, but we can often flag a concern before you spend money finding it out the hard way.

12. Is a home inspection required for a VA loan?

Not by the VA, but VA recommends getting one, and so do I, every time. The VA appraisal is not a substitute for a home inspection.

13. Who pays for the home inspection?

Plan on paying the inspector directly when the inspection happens, unless we've negotiated something different.

14. What is a WDO inspection?

WDO stands for wood-destroying organisms. The inspector checks for termites and similar damage. Whether one's required depends on the property, the location, your lender, and the applicable VA rules, so we'll confirm exactly what your transaction needs.

15. What are Four-Point and Wind Mitigation inspections?

These mostly come up around Florida homeowners insurance. A Four-Point inspection focuses on the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. A Wind Mitigation inspection documents wind-resistant features of the home and can help you qualify for insurance discounts.

16. What happens if the inspection finds something wrong?

Don't panic. Inspections find something almost every time. We review the findings against your contract and go through your real options, that might mean requesting repairs, getting a further evaluation, negotiating a credit, accepting the condition, or using a right your contract already gives you.

20. What is a VA appraisal?

It establishes the home's reasonable value and checks it against VA's Minimum Property Requirements. It is not a home inspection.

21. Who orders the VA appraisal?

Your lender does, once you're under contract. You don't choose or hire the appraiser yourself.

22. Who pays for the appraisal?

The VA appraisal is an allowable buyer expense, and unless another arrangement applies, plan on that cost being yours. VA publishes its appraisal fee schedules by location, so we can tell you the real number early, not a guess (VA appraiser fee schedule, benefits.va.gov).

23. What happens if the appraisal comes in lower than our purchase price?

We stop and go through your options together. Depending on your contract, that can mean requesting a Reconsideration of Value with real supporting sales data, renegotiating the price with the seller, or choosing to cover some or all of the gap yourself if that makes sense for you. I'll walk you through each option before you decide anything.

24. What happens if the VA appraiser requires repairs?

We find out exactly what's required, then work with your lender and the seller to get it addressed before closing.

27. What exactly are closing costs?

Closing costs are separate from your down payment, and depending on your transaction they can include lender and origination fees, the VA appraisal, title-related charges, recording fees, the survey, homeowners insurance, property taxes and prepaid items, discount points if you choose them, the VA funding fee if you're not exempt, and other allowable or transaction-specific costs. The exact total varies by lender, property, location, and loan amount (VA loan fees, benefits.va.gov).

28. Can all of my closing costs be rolled into my VA loan?

No. The VA funding fee can generally be financed into the loan, but the rest of your closing costs typically can't just get added on top. They get paid through the transaction itself, by you, by seller credits, by lender credits, or another permitted source (VA loan fees, benefits.va.gov).

29. What is the VA funding fee?

It's a one-time fee that applies to many VA loans. Some veterans are exempt. When it applies, it can generally be paid at closing or financed into the loan (VA funding fee, va.gov).

30. How much money should I have available before we start making offers?

This is a conversation I want to have before you write, not after. Even at 0% down, come in ready for:

• Earnest money / escrow deposit
• Home inspection
• WDO inspection, if required
• Four-Point and Wind Mitigation, if needed
• Survey, if needed and not already provided
• The VA appraisal
• Anything else your lender flags for you specifically

Some of this can end up negotiated, credited, or covered by someone else, but we never assume that going in. I want you prepared in case it lands on you, and glad when it doesn't.

34. Do I get my keys as soon as I sign?

Not necessarily. Signing the documents and the transaction actually closing and funding aren't always the same moment. Once the closing and title company confirm everything's complete and cleared to release, that's when the keys are officially yours.

35. What happens after I get the keys?

Celebrate, you bought a home. But my job doesn't end there. Keep my number. If you need a contractor, have a question about the house, want to know what it's worth down the road, or you're ready to buy or sell again, I'm still here.

You've read what I tell my own buyers before we ever write an offer. If you're at the start of a PCS to Pensacola, Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze or Navarre, the next step is a real conversation, not a form.

The buyer consultation is free, 60 to 75 minutes, with no pressure. We'll go through your goals, your timeline and what's actually true for your situation, including what you'd need to have ready before you write an offer. See how I help you buy, VA and military buyers and my military relocation guide.

Schedule your free buyer consultation with Vivian, or call or text (850) 450-4795.

This guide is general information, not tax, legal or lending advice, and it isn't a guarantee of loan approval or a specific interest rate. Approval depends on your lender's underwriting. VA rules and fees can change, so confirm current numbers with your lender.