The VA's minimum property requirements confirm the home is safe, structurally sound, and sanitary. Here is the complete checklist of what appraisers flag, how to prepare, and what the standard is — habitability, not perfection.
What the MPRs are for
The VA's Minimum Property Requirements exist to confirm that a home financed with a VA loan is safe, structurally sound, and sanitary — habitable on day one. They are a condition of the loan, enforced through the VA appraisal, and they protect the borrower from buying a home that cannot be safely lived in.
The standard is habitability, not quality or newness. A home with worn carpet, a dated kitchen, or cosmetic wear can pass the MPR review. The question is whether a reasonable buyer could live in the home safely on closing day, not whether the home is finished or modern.
Structural and roofing
The roof must be sound and without active leaks. A roof with remaining life that is functional passes; a roof with active leaks or structural failure does not. The appraiser visually inspects the roof and notes its condition and estimated remaining life.
The foundation must be sound — no evidence of structural failure, significant settlement, or conditions that make the home unsafe. Cracks are evaluated for severity; hairline cracks are common, while structural cracks or shifting are flags.
Utilities and mechanical systems
All utilities — water, sewer, gas, electric — must be on and functional for the appraisal. A vacant home with disconnected utilities will be flagged until they are restored. This is a common issue on foreclosures and estate sales.
Mechanical systems — heating, electrical, plumbing — must be functional and safe. A non-working furnace, exposed wiring, or a plumbing failure is an MPR flag. The appraiser tests systems where possible and notes any that are not operational.
Safety: handrails, stairs, and access
Handrails are required on stairways with three or more steps, interior and exterior. Missing handrails are one of the most common MPR flags, and they are one of the easiest to fix before the appraisal — a few hundred dollars of hardware and labor.
Safe access to the property is required — no blocked walkways, no unsafe steps, no conditions that make entry hazardous. Swimming pool barriers must meet local safety codes. These are basic safety items, not aesthetic preferences.
Paint: the lead-paint rule
On homes built before 1978, peeling or chipping paint is an MPR flag because of the lead-paint hazard. The appraiser notes defective paint conditions on pre-1978 homes, and the paint must be corrected — scraped and repainted — before the loan can close.
This is one of the most common and most preventable MPR flags. If you are buying a pre-1978 home, check for peeling paint before the appraisal and negotiate the repair in the contract. Post-1978 homes do not trigger the lead-paint rule, though defective paint that indicates a maintenance problem can still be noted.
Water and sanitation
The home must have safe water and safe sanitation. A private well must be tested for potability in most cases — the lender orders the test — and a septic system must be functional. A failed well test or a septic failure is a flag that must be resolved before closing.
Connection to public water and sewer is the simplest path. Private systems are acceptable when they are functional and tested, but they add a step to the appraisal process and a potential cost if the test fails. See the separate article on VA well, septic, and termite requirements for the details.
Termite and wood-destroying insects
In many states, the VA requires a termite or wood-destroying insect inspection. If evidence of active infestation or damage is found, treatment and/or repair is required before closing. The requirement and who pays vary by state and by the contract — see the well, septic, and termite article for the state-by-state detail.
Termite damage is an MPR flag because it affects structural soundness. A treated infestation with repaired damage can pass; an active, untreated infestation cannot.
What the MPRs are not
The MPRs are not a home inspection. The appraiser checks for function and safety, not for the remaining life of systems or the quality of construction. A home that passes the MPR review can still have a furnace with two years left, a roof nearing end of life, or electrical that is functional but not modern code. The home inspection — which the buyer orders separately — is what surfaces those items.
The MPRs are not aesthetic standards. They do not require updated kitchens, new flooring, or modern finishes. They require a home that is safe, sound, and sanitary. Understanding the difference prevents both over-asking the seller for MPR-irrelevant repairs and under-preparing for the items the MPRs do flag.
How to prepare
If you are selling to a VA buyer, walk the property against this checklist before the appraisal: utilities on, handrails in place, no peeling paint on pre-1978 homes, no active leaks, no visible safety hazards. The most common flags are the most preventable, and a clean appraisal is faster and cheaper than a subject-to-repairs appraisal.
If you are buying, understand that the appraisal is a condition gate, not a full inspection. Order the home inspection separately, and use the MPR review as the safety baseline. When the appraisal is issued subject to repairs, negotiate the repairs with the seller — the VA does not dictate who pays — or walk away under the amendatory clause if the repairs are too large or the seller will not address them.
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Jonathan Mullins
Mortgage Loan Officer · Army Veteran
Jonathan Mullins is an Army Veteran and Mortgage Loan Officer at Military Mortgage, specializing in VA home loans for Veterans, active-duty service members, and military families. He writes this learning center to make VA loan rules, entitlement, and the home-buying process easier to understand.
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