VA Home Loan Checklist: 12 Things to Catch Early in Ventura County

You have your Certificate of Eligibility. You are stationed at Point Mugu or Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, or you are a veteran who wants to buy here. You found a house in Oxnard that fits the budget. Then someone tells you the house “won’t pass VA.”

Most homes in Ventura County pass just fine. The ones that fail usually fail for a short list of reasons, and you can spot most of them at the showing. This is the checklist I go through in the video below: the 12 things the VA appraiser can call out, what each one means, and what to ask before you write an offer. Everything else I have written for buyers near the base is on my VA and military buyers page.

Quick answer: A VA loan requires the home to be safe, structurally sound and sanitary. The VA appraiser checks it against a list called the Minimum Property Requirements, or MPRs. The 12 things on my Ventura County checklist are termites, peeling paint on homes built before 1978, leased solar, window security bars, condo projects that are not VA approved, mobile homes on leased land, unpermitted additions, worn roofs, wet crawl spaces, access, safety items and heat.

The video runs about nine minutes. This post goes deeper on each item and names the VA Lenders Handbook rule behind it. The free VA Showing Checklist, all 12 on one printable page, is in the box below.

What does the VA appraiser actually check?

The VA appraiser does two jobs. First, they estimate the value of the home. Second, they check the home against the VA Minimum Property Requirements, or MPRs. An MPR is a rule the home must meet before the VA will back the loan.

The VA sums the standard up in three words: safe, sound and sanitary. The home must be safe to live in, structurally solid, and have clean water, working plumbing and a way to get rid of sewage.

The VA appraisal is not a home inspection. The appraiser does not test the furnace or run the outlets, and the rules tell them to name a repair, not order an inspection. Get your own home inspection; the VA says so on every Notice of Value.

MPRs (the VA property rules) are not about how nice the home is. Old carpet, dated cabinets and an ugly paint color are not repairs. The VA Lenders Handbook tells the appraiser to skip cosmetic items and normal wear and look for what hurts safety, structure or sanitation.

The VA home loan checklist: 12 things to catch early

These are in the order I cover them in the video, not by how serious they are.

1. Termites, fungus and dry rot

Every VA purchase of a house in California needs a wood destroying insect inspection. The VA lists California as a state where the report is required statewide, no matter how the house looks. The exceptions are condos: high rise units are exempt, and side by side condo units can skip it if the HOA shows proof of treatment. Active termites and any damage from termites, fungus or dry rot have to be treated and repaired before the VA will back the loan, which in practice means before closing unless the lender holds money in escrow for the work.

The report has two parts, Section 1 and Section 2. The VA needs the Section 1 work cleared before closing. Since 2022 the VA lets the veteran pay for the inspection and the repairs. In my experience in Ventura County, the buyer usually pays for the inspection. The repairs are a negotiation, so ask the seller early what they are willing to do. Termites are common in Ventura County and across Southern California, so a report that finds something is not a surprise. The report only kills a deal when the damage is large and nobody will pay for it.

2. Peeling paint on a home built before 1978

If the home was built before 1978, the VA presumes any cracking, chipping or peeling paint is lead based paint. It has to be scraped and repainted, or covered, and the appraiser has to certify the fix before the loan can be guaranteed. Cost is not an accepted reason to skip it.

For homes built in 1978 or later, peeling paint is normally treated as cosmetic. The VA updated that part of the rule in February 2026 (the current handbook chapter took effect May 1, 2026); the pre-1978 presumption was already there. Many of the homes near the base were built before 1978, so check the year built on every listing in Oxnard and Port Hueneme before you fall for one.

3. Leased solar

Ventura County has a lot of leased solar and power purchase agreements. Owned solar is fine. Leased solar is not a deal killer, but it adds a third party and their timeline to your escrow. The VA gives leased equipment no value in the appraisal. Some solar leases attach to the title, so your lender may want the lease reviewed and may ask the solar company to sign off before closing. The lender may also count the lease payment as a monthly debt, which can lower how much you qualify for. Ask on day one: is the solar owned or leased?

4. Window security bars without a quick release

Window bars are common on older homes in Ventura, Port Hueneme and Oxnard. VA rules say at least one window in every bedroom must have a quick release so people can get out in a fire. The only exception is a bedroom with its own door to the outside. You can check this at the showing: see if the bars open from the inside. If the appraiser cannot confirm the release works, the appraisal is written subject to the bars coming off.

5. A condo project that is not VA approved

You can use a VA loan on a condo, but the VA has to approve the whole complex, not just your unit. This trips up buyers looking at condos in Port Hueneme, Oxnard and Camarillo. If the project is not on the VA list, your loan cannot close until it is, and getting a project approved takes time and needs the HOA’s cooperation. One shortcut: a condo project that is on HUD’s approved list is usually an easy add to the VA list, because the VA generally accepts projects HUD has approved. A single unit that once closed with an FHA loan does not count; the whole project has to be approved. Before you tour a condo, look it up on the VA condo search, or ask me which complexes in your area are approved.

6. Mobile homes and land leases

When a listing says “land lease,” it means you would own the home and rent the land under it. A standard VA loan usually does not work there. The VA treats a manufactured home as real estate only when it sits on a permanent foundation, the home and the land count as one piece of real estate under California law, and it meets local zoning. A home on a rented space in a park does not meet that test. Any home on leased land needs VA approval of the lease before the Notice of Value can be issued, so ask before you make an offer. Mobile homes for sale in Ventura and Oxnard get a lot of searches because the price is right. There are other loan options for park homes, and I cover them in a separate video.

7. Unpermitted additions and garage conversions

Garage conversions and added rooms are everywhere in Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme. I will be honest: this one is a toss up. Some appraisers call it out and some do not. The rule is that the appraiser reports whether the home complies with zoning. If they know the city will require an unpermitted addition to be removed, the appraisal is written subject to that removal, and unpermitted space may get little or no value. If an addition looks unsafe, expect it to be called out. Ask for the permit history before you make an offer.

8. A roof at the end of its life

The roof has to keep water out and have some useful life left. The appraiser does not have to climb on it, but a water stained ceiling inside gets flagged, because the appraiser has to assume it is leaking. If a failed roof already has three or more layers of shingles, every layer has to come off before the new roof goes on. That turns a repair into a full tear off, and it is one of the more expensive fixes on this list.

9. A wet crawl space

The crawl space has to have access, be clear of debris, be vented and be dry. Standing water or heavy dampness under the house gets flagged. Ventura, Camarillo and Oxnard have a lot of homes on raised foundations, so this one comes up here. A raised foundation means the house sits on a short wall or piers with a crawl space under it; look for a step or two up from the yard and small vents along the bottom of the walls. Homes near the beach in Oxnard Shores and Hollywood Beach deserve a close look because of moisture. The appraiser also looks into the attic if there is a hatch, and a stained ceiling or poor venting up there is a required repair too.

10. Access to the property

The home needs safe access from a public or private street with an all weather surface. If the street is private, there has to be a permanent recorded easement and a maintenance agreement, through an HOA or a signed deal among the owners. You also have to be able to reach the home and the backyard without crossing someone else’s property. In my experience this one rarely comes up in Ventura County. Where it does, it is flag lots, shared driveways and some rural parcels around Somis, Ojai and Santa Paula.

11. Safety items

This is the catch all. Exposed or frayed wiring, missing handrails, broken windows, concrete that has buckled into a trip hazard, grading that sends water toward the house, signs the house is still settling. Anything the appraiser sees as a safety or structural problem can be written up as a required repair.

Three site issues go beyond a simple repair. No part of the home can sit inside a high voltage power line or gas pipeline easement. A home in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, the high risk zones lettered A or V, needs flood insurance; the lower risk zones (B, C, X and D) do not. Check any address on the Ventura County flood hazard map before you make an offer. And an existing home in an airport clear zone near Point Mugu, Oxnard Airport or Camarillo Airport can still close, but you sign an acknowledgment first.

12. Heat, even in California

This one surprises people. The home must have a heating system that is permanently installed and keeps the rooms with plumbing at 50 degrees or warmer. In the video I call it central heat; the written rule is permanently installed heat, so a furnace or a wall heater counts. A plug in space heater does not count. The VA does have a mild climate exception, but it points to the VA local requirements page for each state, and that page lists only the termite rule for California. So plan on the house needing built in heat.

What happens when the appraiser flags something?

The appraiser lists the repair on the appraisal. The lender’s reviewer puts it on the Notice of Value, or NOV, the document that tells everyone the value and the conditions. From there, there are three ways through. The seller or you fix it before closing. The lender holds money in escrow so the work finishes right after closing. Or you and the lender ask the VA to waive the repair, which the VA only does if the home is still safe, sound and sanitary without it. The VA does not allow waivers for safety items.

So a fixer upper is not off the table. A house that needs a termite clearance, a paint job and a new roof can work on a VA loan if the seller will fix it. A gutted house with no heat and a failed foundation will not. If you are looking at fixer upper homes in Oxnard, ask early how much work the seller will agree to, and build repair time into your contract.

One more thing to know. If the appraiser thinks the value will come in below the contract price, VA rules make them pause first and give your lender and agent two business days to send in more comparable sales. This is called the Tidewater Procedure. A low value is a different problem from an MPR (VA property rule) problem, but it can end a deal just the same. If the value still comes in low, you have three choices: ask the seller to lower the price, pay the difference yourself, or use your VA escape clause to cancel and keep your deposit.

How contingencies protect your deposit

Say you found the house, you are negotiating, and the repairs are not getting done or the seller will not cooperate. How do you walk away with your deposit?

When I write an offer, I put four contingencies in place to protect you: inspection, termite, appraisal and loan. A contingency is a written condition that has to be met before you are locked in. If one is not met, you can cancel within your contingency period and keep your deposit. The terms and the deadlines depend on your purchase contract, so I go over them with you before you sign.

Five questions to ask before you make an offer

1. What year was the home built? Before 1978 means the paint rule applies.
2. Is the solar owned or leased?
3. Is the garage still a garage, and are there permits for any added space?
4. If it is a condo, is the project VA or FHA approved? If it is a mobile home, who owns the land?
5. Has the seller had a termite inspection, and who is paying for the Section 1 work?

Then get pre-approved with someone who knows what a Notice of Value means for your deal.

The short version

VA loans are not picky about pretty. They are picky about safe, sound and sanitary. Almost everything on this list can be solved if you spot it early and the seller is willing to work with you. Spot it late and you lose the house, or weeks of escrow.

Here is the part nobody tells you. A lot of these items live in a gray area. One appraiser flags the garage conversion, another does not. One lender wants the solar company’s sign off, another closes without it. The rules are written down, but how they get applied on your file depends on people.

That is why working with someone who knows both sides matters. I hold a real estate license and a mortgage license. When I show you a house in Oxnard, I am already looking at the roof, the window bars and the solar the way the appraiser will. When a repair shows up on the NOV (the Notice of Value), I can tell you what it means for your loan and negotiate it with the seller in the same conversation.

Found a home on my home search and not sure it will pass VA? Send me a message with the address and let’s talk it through.

Common questions

Does a VA loan require a termite inspection in Ventura County?

Yes, for a house. Every VA purchase of a house in California requires a wood destroying insect inspection, because the VA requires it statewide; high rise condo units are exempt. Section 1 findings, active infestation and existing damage, must be cleared before the loan is guaranteed. Since 2022 the veteran may pay for the inspection and repairs, and in Ventura County the repairs are usually negotiated with the seller.

Can you buy a fixer upper with a VA loan?

You can buy a fixer upper with a VA loan only if every required repair is finished before the VA guarantees the loan. The VA does not ban fixer uppers, but it will not back a loan on a home that fails its Minimum Property Requirements. The seller or the buyer does the work, or the lender escrows for it.

Are leased solar panels a problem for a VA loan?

Leased solar panels are not an automatic deal killer, but they get no value in the VA appraisal and they add a third party to your closing. Some solar leases attach to the title, so the lender may review the lease and may ask the solar company to sign off, and the lease payment may count as a monthly debt. Owned solar avoids all of that.

Can you use a VA loan on a condo in Port Hueneme or Oxnard?

You can use a VA loan on a condo in Port Hueneme or Oxnard only if the entire condo project is VA approved. The VA approves projects, not individual units. Projects already approved by HUD for FHA loans generally get added to the VA list without a separate review; a project approved by neither has to go through approval first.

Can you buy a mobile home in a park with a VA loan?

Usually not. A standard VA loan rarely works for a mobile home on a rented space in a park, because the VA treats a manufactured home as real estate only when it sits on a permanent foundation, counts as real estate with its land under state law, and meets local zoning. A home on leased land only goes forward if the VA approves the lease first.

Does a VA loan require heat in California?

Yes. A VA loan requires a permanently installed heating system that keeps the rooms with plumbing at 50 degrees or warmer, even in California. It does not have to be central heat: a furnace or a wall heater counts, but a plug in space heater does not. The VA’s mild climate exception points to a state page that lists only the termite rule for California.

What happens if the VA appraisal comes in low?

If the appraiser expects the value to come in below the contract price, the Tidewater Procedure gives your lender and agent two business days to submit more comparable sales before the appraisal is finalized. If the value still comes in low, you have three choices: ask the seller to lower the price, pay the difference yourself, or use your VA escape clause to cancel and keep your deposit.

This post is general information, not a commitment to lend, not an offer to lend, and not legal or tax advice. VA Minimum Property Requirements are applied by the VA appraiser and the lender on each individual file, and every file is different. All loans are subject to credit approval, eligibility, appraisal and property requirements. There is no guarantee of rate, term or approval, and guidelines can change without notice. Contract contingencies and their deadlines depend on the terms negotiated in each purchase agreement. Speak with a licensed loan officer about your situation. Edgar Limon, REALTOR, CA DRE #02225743, CENTURY 21 Masters, CA DRE #01849354. Mortgage loan originator, NMLS #2256286, with 21st Century Lending, NMLS #241835, a division of Full Realty Services, Inc. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act and California Financing Law. Century 21 Masters and 21st Century Lending are affiliated companies. You are not required to use 21st Century Lending, or any particular lender, as a condition of working with me, and if I act as both your agent and your loan officer, I disclose both roles and how I am paid to you in writing. I am not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Housing Lender.