Tips for Getting a VA Home Offer Accepted in Sacramento

Sacramento buyers obtaining a VA loan can struggle with getting a VA home offer accepted.

Many Sacramento agents harbor all sorts of wrong ideas about a VA home offer; even the buyer’s agents who write the purchase offers don’t always understand what is going on. I know this because I often check out other content online before writing my blog post and I read the comments from real estate agents in Sacramento that are flat-out incorrect. Plus, I talk to agents on the phone all the time, since I’m one of those oddball Sacramento Realtors who answers her cell.

Had a conversation yesterday with an out-of-area agent about one of my listings. Aside from the fact her VA buyers had not personally toured the home in question and were intent on writing a blind offer — which I would probably not encourage my sellers to accept — the agent continued to insist that the buyer can’t pay for the pest report nor completion work. After all, like she said, she has closed 8 VA loans. She knows.

In the past, when a VA buyer did not want to ask a seller to pay for the pest, a VA buyer would pay for the pest inspection by paying the pest inspector directly, outside of escrow, not through the VA closing costs. That has changed. In 9 states, and California is one of those states, a VA buyer can pay for the pest report inspection. Including, of course, any corrective work that would be noted to obtain a pest completion. Oh, you didn’t know that? Well, you’re not alone.

You probably also do not know that the buyer can also pay the escrow fee, depending on whether the buyer’s lender charges an origination fee.

The Elizabeth Weintraub Team works with VA buyers throughout the Sacramento region, in 7 counties. We have a Certified VA buyer agent who loves working with VA buyers. We can get a VA home offer accepted for our buyers, even in the middle of a competitive situation with multiple offers.

Here are tips for getting a VA home offer accepted by the seller

• Sell the benefits of supporting the men and women who have served our country.
• Bring attention to the strong qualifications of the VA borrower, share the DU.
• Don’t ask for closing cost assistance (if tight, talk to your VA lender).
• Offer to pay some of the closing costs a seller would normally pay (flip the tables).
• Consider shortening the inspection periods.
• Put down a hefty earnest money deposit (yes, even on 100% financing).
• Write a full-price offer or better.

What seller in her right mind would refuse a VA home offer from a well qualified veteran? Only the seller whose listing agent still harbors misperceptions about VA loans and lacks education about VA buyers. If you are a buyer obtaining a VA loan, call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. We’ll get your VA home offer into escrow.