Two jobs in one report: confirm the value AND confirm the property meets VA Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). Here is what that means for Utah buyers.
Watch: Common VA Loan Misinformation
Common VA Loan Misinformation
The most common VA loan myths Utah veterans hear — and what the program guidelines actually say.
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.
Learn It. Watch It. Download It.
Common VA Loan Misinformation
The most common VA loan myths Utah veterans hear — and what the program guidelines actually say.
Verify eligibility, understand the benefits, gather documents, get pre-approved, and shop for a home using the VA benefit.
Educational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Related Resources
Why VA May Be the Best Home Loan Benefit
Why the VA home loan benefit — no required down payment within entitlement and no monthly mortgage insurance — is one of the strongest financing options available to eligible Utah veterans.
VA Funding Fee Explained
How the VA funding fee generally works, when an exemption may apply, and how the fee can be financed into the loan or paid at closing.
VA Zero-Down Financing Explained
How eligible Utah veterans may purchase a primary residence with no required down payment — and why zero down does not mean zero cash to close.
Zero-down USDA financing for eligible rural Utah properties — eligibility, income limits, and the process end-to-end.
Educational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice.
A concise entry-level overview for Utah homeowners 62+ beginning their research: what a HECM is, who may qualify, how proceeds can be taken, the obligations that continue, and where to go next.
Educational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice.
A broad home-equity strategy resource for Utah homeowners 62+ — comparing staying put, HELOCs, refinancing, downsizing, selling, and a reverse mortgage as part of a complete retirement plan.
Educational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice.