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 Santa Monica, house by house
Zero down is the easy part. The house has to pass too — and that is where a VA offer in Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica 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 day806 Navy Street
2 beds1 baths860 sq ft
$1,199,000
Carolwood Estates
New1 day371 20th Street
5 beds6 baths5,018 sq ft
$9,250,000
Christie's International Real Estate SoCal
New1 day1524 11th Street E
2 beds3 baths1,494 sq ft
$1,525,000
Christie's International Real Estate SoCal
New1 day125 Pacific Street 8
3 beds3 baths1,910 sq ft
$2,395,000
Core Real Estate Group
New2 days1223 14th Street
4 beds4 baths2,187 sq ft
$2,900,000
Agora Realty & Management Inc.
New3 days962 Franklin Street
5 beds6 baths5,170 sq ft
$6,980,000
Sotheby's International Realty
Active listings, as of September 22. Photos are illustrative Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica
- 933 11th Street 9eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles, Inc.Coming Soon▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 1130 CentinelaEstate PropertiesSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 728 Pacific StreetColdwell Banker RealtyActive Under Contract▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 1527 Stanford Street 5Harcourts Prime PropertiesSold▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 713 Bay StreetKeller Williams Beverly HillsPending▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ VaultWatch
- 1040 4th 203Diamond Trust RealtyActive Under Contract▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ 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 Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica, 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