How We Close VA Loans in About 12 Days (and Clear to Close in Under 10)
VA loans don’t have to be slow. We’ve closed VA purchases in about 12 days, with clear-to-close in under 10. The speed comes from doing the slow parts first: underwriting before the offer, ordering the appraisal and pest inspection right away, and clearing conditions in parallel instead of one at a time.
What actually slows a VA loan down?
Two things, usually. The first is the appraisal, which goes through a VA-assigned appraiser rather than the lender’s choice. The second is termite and pest clearance, which VA loans require before closing. Neither is the VA guaranty itself.
Most delays come from waiting on those two items in line behind everything else.
How do we speed it up?
1. Underwrite before you have a house. A full underwrite with the property “to be determined” means the borrower side of the file is already done when you go under contract.
2. Sort out eligibility first. Entitlement and your Certificate of Eligibility should be confirmed before you write an offer, not after.
3. Order the appraisal the day the contract is accepted. On a $1,000,000 Petaluma purchase, the appraisal came back in 24 hours.
4. Get the pest inspection moving immediately. On that same Petaluma file, the inspection turned up an issue that needed a corrective NPMA-33. We coordinated the re-inspection and paperwork quickly, and the file was clear to close 3 days from contract.
5. Work in parallel, not in a line. Title, insurance and remaining conditions get cleared in the same week, not one after another.
6. Keep decisions in-house. As a direct lender, questions go to underwriting quickly instead of bouncing between parties.
What can still slow it down?
Honestly, plenty of things are outside any lender’s control. A low appraisal. A property that doesn’t meet VA minimum property requirements. Slow title or escrow. Changes to the borrower’s finances mid-transaction.
A fast lender doesn’t guarantee a fast close. But a slow process shouldn’t be the reason a VA offer loses.
What should a VA buyer do?
Get fully underwritten and confirm your eligibility before you shop.
Tell your agent your lender can close fast, so they can write offers with confidence.
Ask about the appraisal and pest inspection timeline the day you’re under contract.
A real example:
PETALUMA CA
Ratified August 20, 2026.
Loan Approval August 21, 2026.
Appraisal back on August 24, 2026.
CLEAR TO CLOSE August 25, 2026.
Buying with a VA loan in California? Explore VA loans in California
Mike Belfor, Branch Manager and Mortgage Loan Originator, American Pacific Mortgage, NMLS 264700 (Company NMLS 1850). Equal Housing Opportunity. Timelines vary by file and are not guaranteed. Updated September 18, 2026.
VA loans have a slow reputation. Here’s what actually drives VA timelines and how we’ve closed in about 12 days with clear-to-close in under 10.
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