How long does a VA appraisal take in Utah?

Typically 5–12 business days from order to report along the Wasatch Front, longer in remote rural counties.

What are VA Minimum Property Requirements?

Federal standards designed to confirm the home is safe, sanitary, and structurally sound. Common flags: peeling paint on pre-1978 homes, missing handrails, exposed wiring, roof at end of life, no functional heat source.

A formal process the appraiser uses when the value appears to come in below the contract price. The lender and listing agent may submit additional comparable sales before the appraisal is finalized.

What happens if the value comes in low?

Three options: renegotiate price down, the buyer pays the difference in cash, or terminate the contract (an appraisal contingency typically protects earnest money).

Can sellers refuse to repair MPR items?

Yes, but the loan cannot close until the items are corrected. Many Utah sellers agree to fix MPR items because the alternative is restarting with a new buyer.

Are repair escrows allowed?

Sometimes. Minor weather-delayed items (e.g. exterior paint in winter) can be escrowed in limited circumstances.

VA Appraisals in Utah | Minimum Property Requirements

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By Tres Miller · Mortgage Lender · NMLS #217768

Reviewed June 22, 2026 · 25+ years lending in Utah

What the VA appraiser does

A VA appraiser is a state-licensed Utah appraiser also approved on the VA panel. The job is to (1) determine market value using recent comparable sales and (2) confirm the property meets VA Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs).

Common MPR items in Utah

Peeling paint on homes built before 1978 (lead-based paint concern).
Missing handrails on stairs (typical in older Wasatch Front homes).
Roof condition — at least two years of useful life remaining.
Functional heat source in each habitable room.
Operable plumbing, electrical, water heater.
No active leaks, no obvious structural defects, no exposed wiring.
Termite / wood-destroying organism inspection in Washington County and some southern Utah areas.

The Tidewater process

When the appraiser anticipates a value coming in below contract, the Tidewater process gives the lender and listing agent a defined window to submit additional comparable sales for consideration before the report is finalized. This is unique to the VA and often produces a fair-market outcome that conventional appraisals miss.

What to do if MPR items are flagged

Negotiate. In most Utah markets, sellers facing an MPR list will repair the items rather than restart with a new buyer and risk an even longer timeline. Hill AFB-area sellers especially understand the trade-off.

How Tres protects your timeline

Aggressive early ordering, full-file submission so underwriting runs parallel to the appraisal, and a known panel of Utah appraisers who handle VA volume professionally. The goal is no surprises at the closing table.