A VA loan follows the same broad path as any mortgage, with two VA-specific stops: the Certificate of Eligibility at the front and the VA appraisal with Minimum Property Requirements in the middle.
1. Certificate of Eligibility
The COE proves service eligibility and states your entitlement. Request it on VA.gov, or have a lender pull it through WebLGY. Full walkthrough: how to get your COE.
2. Pre-qualification review
A licensed loan originator reviews income, debts, credit and residual income against VA guidelines and tells you what range is realistic. Bring: ID, income documentation, two months of asset statements, and your service documents. Self-employed? See the self-employed income guide for the longer list.
3. Pre-approval letter
A pre-approval is a lender's conditional statement based on verified documentation — stronger than a pre-qualification and what listing agents expect with an offer. It is not a commitment to lend; conditions still apply.
4. Offer and contract
Your agent writes the offer. Two VA-relevant items belong in it: the VA escape clause (which protects your earnest money if the property appraises below the contract price) and any seller concessions you're negotiating toward closing costs.
5. VA appraisal
A VA-assigned appraiser establishes market value and checks MPRs — safe, sanitary, structurally sound, safe access, working mechanicals. If the value comes in below the price, Tidewater and Reconsideration of Value are the mechanisms; see the appraisal guide. Get your own home inspection too: the VA appraisal is not an inspection and does not protect you the same way.
6. Underwriting and conditions
Underwriting verifies everything and issues conditions — letters of explanation, updated statements, a homeowners insurance binder, verification of employment, sourcing for any large deposit. This is the stage where speed is genuinely in your hands. Return items complete on the first pass and the file keeps moving.
7. Clear to close and the Closing Disclosure
Once conditions clear, you receive the Closing Disclosure, which you must have at least three business days before consummation. Compare it line by line against your earlier Loan Estimate. See the closing costs guide for the 1% origination cap, non-allowable fees and concession limits.
8. Closing
You sign, funds are disbursed, the deed records, and the loan is reported to the VA so the guaranty attaches. The funding fee is typically financed into the loan unless you're exempt.
What most often causes delay
| Cause | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Documents returned piecemeal | Send complete packages; every page of every statement |
| Unexplained deposits | Season funds early and keep the paper trail — see gift funds |
| Property condition items | Read the appraisal promptly and negotiate repairs immediately |
| Unapproved condo project | Check the VA condo approval status before you offer |
| New credit during the process | Don't open accounts or finance a car until after closing |
We don't advertise a closing timeline, because the honest answer depends on the appraiser, the seller, the title company and the condition list. What we will do is tell you where your file actually stands at each step. Start with a pre-qualification review.
Sources: VA Lenders Handbook M26-7; 38 CFR Part 36; VA.gov — VA-backed home loans; Regulation Z closing disclosure timing requirements.