Last updated October 23, 2026
I don’t let my VA buyers write offers on houses that won’t pass the appraisal. I screen at the showing, before we write. Here’s the checklist I use, what to ask the listing agent first, and what to do when something turns up.
Short answers first. Costs are 2026 expected costs from my St. Louis repair cost guide.
Walk it with the VA appraisal in mind, which takes about 15 minutes. Open the electrical panel, walk the outside for peeling paint on a pre-1978 house, check every set of stairs for a secure handrail, look at the roof from the ground, go to the basement, run the heat or air, look under sinks and check the windows.
What kind of electrical panel the house has, how old the roof is, whether there are known foundation problems or past repairs, whether the heating and air work, and whether the seller knows of any deferred maintenance. If the agent doesn’t know, check those things yourself at the showing.
Write the repair into your offer with a contractor’s estimate attached, or move on to the next house. If the issue is expensive or the seller is unlikely to cooperate, moving on is usually the better call.
Usually not. An as-is listing tells you the seller won’t fix anything, and a VA appraisal requires certain repairs before closing.
No. Screening catches what a VA appraiser is likely to condition. A home inspection, a radon test and a sewer scope cover the rest, and together they run about $600 to $1,050. I recommend all three on every St. Louis home, whatever its age.
Open the panel door. Look for Federal Pacific or FPE branding, “Stab-Lok” on the breakers, or breakers with orange or blue tips. Replacement runs about $2,000 to $4,000. If you find one, ask whether the seller will replace it before the appraisal. Federal Pacific panels →
Walk the outside. Check window and door frames, porch railings, siding and trim for peeling, chipping or flaking paint. On a house built before 1978, the VA requires that paint to be corrected.
Check the front steps, the deck stairs and the basement stairway. A missing or loose handrail is a safety item an appraiser can condition. It’s a small fix to write into the offer.
Look up from the ground for missing shingles, sagging or obvious wear, and ask the roof’s age. The VA requires a roof that keeps moisture out and has reasonable life left. Replacement runs about $8,000 to $20,000.
Walk the basement walls and look at the floor. Hairline cracks are common; bowing walls, large cracks or active water are not. Minor foundation repairs run about $3,000 to $8,000 and major ones $15,000 to $40,000 or more.
Run the heat or the air and feel for airflow. The system has to work, not be new. A furnace alone runs about $3,000 to $6,000 and a full system $7,000 to $15,000.
Look under the sinks, around the toilets, near the water heater and at the basement ceiling under the bathrooms for active drips or water stains. A water heater replacement runs about $900 to $1,800.
Check for cracked or broken glass. It’s a minor fix, so write it into the offer.
Either write the repair into your offer, with a contractor’s estimate attached so the seller knows exactly what they’re agreeing to, or move on. If the panel needs replacing and the seller won’t do it, the roof is shot and the seller won’t address it, or the foundation has major problems, I walk. There are other houses. What happens if the appraisal finds it instead →
Can I skip screening and let the appraisal find the problems?
You can, but by then you’re under contract, the clock is running and you’ve paid for the appraisal and the inspection. Screening at the showing takes about 15 minutes.
Should I bring a flashlight to showings?
Yes. Basements are often poorly lit, and a flashlight helps with the panel, the foundation walls and the plumbing.
This is one piece of the St. Louis home buying process. See how it all fits together:
📚 Complete St. Louis Buyer Guide →
Grew up in South St. Louis, lived in Dogtown for 6 years, now in South County. You'll find us at Wellspring on Lindbergh on Sundays. I'm not selling you a house — I'm showing you how to think about buying or selling a house.