Yesterday we talked about MPRs or minimum property requirements. We told you about dry rot and wood destroying insects. Today we have two more MPRs that you should look out for.
Home Accessibility
Improper access to the home is a big problem that’s easy to spot early on. The VA requires that the home be accessible by an all-weather road – that means no dirt roads. You can have public or private roads, but they need to be paved, graveled, or have some type of all-weather material to give you access year-round.
You’ll need to know about the maintenance agreement when dealing with private roads. Normally the VA requires an agreement that is signed by all homeowners on the private road, and some states even require that the agreement be written by an attorney.
Paint and electrical
Peeling and damaged paint on homes built before 1978 are considered hazardous because of the potential use of lead-based paints. You can generally identify these problems in a walkthrough, and bring them up before making an offer.
While paint problems shouldn’t be deal breakers, you should make note of them when choosing a home because they could lengthen the time to close the loan.
Electrical issues generally happen with older homes that haven’t been properly updated. When you’re inquiring about the house, asking about recent electrical work if the house is more than 20 years old is generally a good practice.
Even though loans can temporarily get hung up because of an MPR violation, it’s important to remember that they are there for your benefit.
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