RoofRoof life
A roof needs enough remaining service life to pass. Visible wear, missing tiles and lifted flashing at the valleys all get called out.
VA buyers
VA loans in Malibu, house by house
Zero down is the easy part. The house has to pass too — and that is where a VA offer in Malibu is won or lost.
Zero down
Appraisal read
Condition rules
What the VA appraiser flags
Value and the minimum property requirements are checked in the same visit. These are the four systems that stop a Malibu file.
See the inspector’s eye →Roof
ElectricalSafe, working systems
Heat, power and hot water have to be safe and functional on the day of the visit. A panel with known hazards is written up, not waved through.
PlumbingNo active leaks
Corrosion at the joints means water is already moving where it should not. An active leak is a repair the file has to clear.
SiteDrainage away from the house
Standing water and ground that falls back toward the slab are site conditions, and site conditions are inside the appraiser’s brief.
Peeling paintAny peeling, chipping or flaking paint, especially on homes built before 1978.
Water heater strappingCalifornia requires the water heater to be strapped for seismic safety, and the appraiser checks it.
Pest clearanceActive wood-destroying pest or fungus findings need clearance before the loan can close.
Safe accessWalkways, railings and steps need to be sound and free of trip hazards.Photos are illustrative of the condition item, not photographs of a specific address.
VA-ready homes this week
Active listings in Malibu right now. VA eligibility is confirmed on the read — send me one and I check the condition items before you write.
Open the city page →
New1 day20940 Big Rock Drive
Lot / land
$2,000,000
Pinnacle Estate Properties
New1 day31830 Broad Beach Road
3 beds3 baths2,100 sq ft
$3,475,000
Compass
New4 days229 Lorine Lane
3 beds3 baths2,982 sq ft
$2,495,000
Sotheby's International Realty
New4 days32752 Pacific Coast Highway
8 beds7 baths
$24,500,000
Compass
New5 days31740 Broad Beach Road
5 beds6 baths4,779 sq ft
$13,995,000
Coldwell Banker Realty
New5 days24216 Malibu Road
3 beds2 baths1,676 sq ft
$6,250,000
Carolwood Estates
Active listings, as of September 22. Photos are illustrative Malibu street scenes, not photographs of the address on the card.
The process
Four steps from eligibility to keys, in the order they actually happen.
Start with the read →
Pre-approval
Your Certificate of Eligibility, and a lender who writes VA loans every week. There is no private mortgage insurance on a VA loan, so the monthly number starts lower than the same price on a conventional file.
The read
Send me the listing before you write. I read the photos and the disclosures for the condition items a VA appraiser calls out, so the offer is built around them instead of being renegotiated later.
The appraisal
The VA assigns the appraiser. Value and the minimum property requirements are checked in the same visit, and anything flagged has to clear before the loan can fund.
Close
The VA guarantees a portion of the loan, and most eligible veterans still hold their full entitlement. A one-time funding fee helps sustain the program and can be financed into the loan rather than paid at the table.
Seller concessions, explained
With nothing down, the cash you bring is closing costs. This is the lever that moves them.
Selling to a VA buyer? →
What a seller can contribute
Sellers can contribute toward allowable closing costs and prepaid items on a VA loan. With nothing down, that contribution is the number that decides what you actually bring — and it is negotiated in the offer, not discovered at the end.
Why a seller says yes
VA buyers are motivated and qualified. Simple repairs, clear documentation and a little preparation can make the difference between a limited audience and a strong, on-time offer that closes.
Negotiated this week in Malibu
- 31830 Broad Beach RoadCompassSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 6416 Lunita Road 108CompassSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 5932 Busch DriveThe AgencySold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 20977 Las Flores Mesa DriveWoods Real Estate Services IncSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 28935 W Beach LaneCompassSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 20542 Seaboard RoadCompassSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
Bought by: I follow these closings myself — some of these buyers I know, a few were my clients. The names are for Vault members; everything else on the row is open.
Real Malibu rows, as of September 22. What each side conceded is not public; the buyer’s details are released to registered Vault members.
Experience makes the difference
Get the VA read from Zarko
I read your listing myself, apply 20+ years in Malibu, and tell you what a VA appraiser is likely to write up — before you spend an appraisal fee finding out.
Zarko Maletin Broker & founder DRE #02038779 InterNACHI certified inspector