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I am considering my first home purchase. I will be using a VA Loan. I understand that part of the VA Loan process involves a series of inspections.
Is this sufficient to avoid the most obvious pitfalls, or should I bring in my own experts? I understand every home has things that need to be dealt with. I'm only interested in avoiding the obvious pitfalls.
The VA Loan Home Inspection Requirements sound identical to every inspection I've had done on a home prior to buying.
I suggest you add on a sewer inspection and a radon test (if not included in inspection, especially if home has a basement).
You should attend the inspection, it should be a half day affair at least, if the inspector doesn't seem to be doing a thorough job (doesn't get up on the roof, doesn't go through the attic), or just seems hasty, then a 2nd inspection may be worth the cost. I've not had a bad inspector, but they've all missed little things.
My experience many years ago was that the VA inspection was to protect the lender, and not the buyer of the property. While they did have a checklist of major items they did not go to the level of detail that a certified home inspector does.
Years ago I did a small project to update the training materials for a friend who was a home inspection trainer for the American Society of Home Inspectors. I used certified inspectors from the American Society of Home Inspectors for all of my home purchases.
This is from the Department of Veterans affairs website
My home was appraised by VA and now I am having problems with its condition. Wasn't the appraisal an inspection of the property and can't VA help me with these problems?
Although the VA fee appraiser must view the property from both the exterior and interior to determine its overall condition, the appraisal process is not intended to be an "inspection" of the property. While the appraiser is an experienced observer, and is required to recommend needed repairs based upon his or her observations while completing the appraisal, the appraiser is not expected to recommend cosmetic repairs, ensure that mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems work properly, climb on the roof, etc. VA cannot guarantee that all defective conditions will be seen by the appraiser, or that the property will otherwise be satisfactory to the buyer in all respects, and we have no authority to assist veteran homeowners with the correction of defects in existing homes. VA encourages homebuyers to satisfy themselves that the home they intend to purchase is in a condition that is acceptable to them.
