The typical Savannah home was built in 1971, the median year built in the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 estimates (U.S. Census Bureau). Buying one with a VA loan brings two rules into play: VA draws a line at 1978 for paint, and Georgia is on VA’s list for termite reports. Both can add repairs to settle before closing.
Key Takeaways
– VA presumes lead-based paint in a house built before 1978. Defective lead paint must be fixed, and cost is not an accepted reason to waive it.
– Georgia is on VA’s statewide list for wood-destroying insect information, so plan on a termite report.
– The VA appraisal isn’t a home inspection. VA recommends one, and a structural engineer for an older property.
– Repairs can be escrowed past closing, but they must be finished before VA guarantees the loan.
Can you use a VA loan on an older home in Savannah?
Yes, once the house meets VA’s Minimum Property Requirements, or MPRs, which must be met before VA guarantees the loan. They exist to make sure a home is safe, structurally sound and sanitary (VA Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 12).
In Savannah, 11,065 of the city’s 68,174 housing units were built in 1939 or earlier, per the same Census estimates (U.S. Census Bureau, table B25034). VA’s paint rule uses 1978, the year lead-based paint for use in homes was banned in the U.S. (EPA). Our Savannah neighborhoods guide covers the city’s districts and when they were developed.
What does a VA appraiser look for on an older house?
Repairs the house needs to meet the MPRs. The appraisal is written “subject to” those repairs being completed, and the appraiser doesn’t run operational checks on systems or appliances (VA Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 12). An appraisal isn’t a home inspection or a guaranty of value (VA.gov). The Notice of Value that comes back lists the items needing repair (VA Buyer’s Guide).
Chapter 12 on the parts of a house that wear with age:
- The roof covering must keep moisture out. If a defective roof with three or more shingle layers is replaced, the old shingles come off first.
- Visible frayed or exposed wires must be repaired.
- Heating must be permanently installed and hold at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit in areas with plumbing. Air conditioning isn’t required, but if the house has it, it has to work.
- A crawl space needs adequate access, no debris and proper venting, with excessive dampness or ponding corrected.
- Minor hairline cracks common in the area don’t typically need repair, while step-cracks in an exterior wall get written up for a licensed contractor.
VA’s examples of defective conditions also include leakage, decay and termites. The appraiser shouldn’t, however, call for repairs of cosmetic items, minor deferred maintenance or normal wear and tear.
Will peeling paint hold up a VA loan on a pre-1978 home?
It goes on the repair list. For a house built before 1978, lead-based paint must be presumed present, any defective lead-based paint is a safety hazard that must be remediated, and the appraiser has to identify where it is (VA Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 12). Economic feasibility is not an acceptable reason to waive that repair.
What triggers the repair is defective paint. EPA says lead-based paint in good condition is usually not a hazard, while peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking or damaged paint is (EPA).
The fix is spelled out: clean off the loose and peeling paint and apply two coats of suitable nonleaded paint, or remove the paint or cover the surface with drywall, plywood or plaster where the surface can’t hold. The VA-assigned appraiser then certifies the work, so build that sign-off into your timeline.
If the seller hires the job out, EPA requires firms whose work disturbs lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes to be EPA- or state-certified and to use certified renovators (EPA). For a house built in 1978 or later, defective paint is normally considered cosmetic under the Chapter 12 version VA titles “Effective after May 1, 2026.”
What does a seller have to disclose about lead paint?
For most pre-1978 housing, federal law requires the seller and agents to give you EPA’s lead pamphlet, disclose what they know about lead-based paint, share available records and reports, and provide a Lead Warning Statement before you sign (EPA). You also get 10 days for a lead inspection or risk assessment. It can be changed in writing or waived. The rule doesn’t apply to foreclosure sales or housing built after 1977.
VA’s presumption for a pre-1978 house applies whatever the seller’s disclosure form says.
Does a VA loan require a termite inspection in Georgia?
Plan on one. Georgia is on VA’s list of states requiring a wood-destroying insect inspection, for the entire state, and VA considers that information before issuing the Notice of Value (VA Local Requirements). If the appraiser sees infestation or damage, the appraisal is made subject to an inspection, and all damage must be repaired (VA Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 12).
High-rise condo units are exempt from the termite inspection. Our VA condo guide for Savannah and Tybee covers VA’s other condo rules.
Who pays for VA-required repairs, and can they wait until after closing?
You and the seller work that out. VA’s Buyer’s Guide notes a seller may lower the price, make repairs or replacements, or offer other concessions (VA Buyer’s Guide).
A waiver is possible in limited cases. After the Notice of Value, VA will consider waiving MPR repairs if you sign the request, your lender concurs, and the house is habitable for safety, structural soundness and sanitation (VA Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 12). Waivers shouldn’t cover MPRs that could leave safety issues, and VA may cut the value by the waived repair’s contributory value. Defective lead-based paint is defined as a safety hazard, so don’t plan on waiving it.
Escrow is the other route. Lenders may hold funds so repairs are finished after closing, but all repairs must be completed and the escrow paid out before VA guarantees the loan. For renovation work, VA’s Buyer’s Guide describes an alteration and repair loan, with improvements counted in the value and completed after closing. Not all lenders are able or willing to close one, so ask early.
Do repairs in a Savannah historic district need approval?
Exterior ones often do. The Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for a variety of exterior changes visible from the public right-of-way in local historic and conservation districts (MPC).
Downtown, the 2026 application lists roof repair or replacement, windows and doors, stucco repair, brick repointing and color change as staff-review items, and three or more make it a board review (MPC, 2026 application). Staff review can be done in a week or so, 30 days at most. A board case can take 60 days or more (MPC).
A new roof, window repairs and stucco work on one downtown house is three items, so it goes to the board, and VA still wants the work done before it guarantees the loan. Our Savannah historic district buying guide covers the review process.
Do you need a home inspection with a VA loan?
VA doesn’t require one but highly recommends it for every borrower, and its Buyer’s Guide suggests a structural engineer, especially for an older property (VA Buyer’s Guide). Our step-by-step Georgia VA loan guide covers the rest of the purchase, including the funding fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VA assume a pre-1978 house has lead paint?
Yes. VA’s Lender’s Handbook says lead-based paint must be presumed in a dwelling built before 1978, and any defective lead-based paint has to be remediated before VA guarantees the loan. For a house built in 1978 or later, defective paint is normally treated as cosmetic.
Do condos need a termite inspection for a VA loan?
It depends on the building. Units in high-rise condominiums, stacked vertically, don’t need one. Side-by-side villa and townhome-style condos in VA’s “very heavy” or “moderate to heavy” termite zones do, unless the homeowners association provides evidence of treatment. Ask the HOA for its treatment records early in the contract period.
Can VA repairs be finished after closing?
They can if your lender agrees. VA’s handbook lets lenders hold funds in escrow so repairs are completed after closing, but all repairs must be finished and the escrow paid out before VA guarantees the loan. Ask your lender early whether they’ll escrow for the items on your Notice of Value.
Before you write the offer
Get a read on the paint, the termite report, the roof and any historic review before you commit to a closing date.
David Johnson, a retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant with 12 years in real estate, leads Johnson & Affiliates Real Estate Group, eXp Realty. The team’s lending partner, Michael Denzy, handles its VA loans, and by David’s count about 90% of the team’s deals are VA. Get in touch with the address you’re considering, and we’ll go through the likely repair items with you and your lender.