Most VA loans close in roughly 30 to 60 days, but the number you actually get depends on four things: your Certificate of Eligibility, the appraisal, the condition of your credit file, and whether the company handling the loan can move your file when it stalls. Speed claims in advertising matter far less than how ready your paperwork is on day one. This article walks through each stage of a VA purchase or refinance, what slows each one, and how the process runs when a broker handles it.
By Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647. I am a VA loan specialist licensed in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia, and I work as a broker with a 500 FICO floor and access to 500+ wholesale lenders.
The Typical VA Loan Timeline, Stage by Stage
Start with what I am, because it shapes everything below. Duane Buziak is an independent broker, not a direct company with one rate sheet. Veterans United, Rocket, and Movement each originate and fund loans from a single shelf. I shop 500+ wholesale lenders for each file. The difference you should care about is credit flexibility and choice. It is not a claim that I am faster than they are.
These ranges are typical as of 2026 and vary by file and market:
- Pre-approval: same day to a few days, depending on how fast you send income and asset documents.
- House hunting and contract: anywhere from a weekend to several months. This is the stage no one can schedule for you.
- Appraisal: often one to three weeks from order to report, longer in busy seasons or rural areas.
- Underwriting: an initial review of a few days, then rounds of conditions. Expect one to two weeks of back and forth on a clean file.
- Clear-to-close: the underwriter’s final sign-off that every condition is satisfied.
- Closing: the CFPB requires that you receive the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before you sign, so clear-to-close is never the same day as the signing table.
Once you are under contract, 30 to 45 days is a common window for a well-prepared purchase. Industry closing-time averages are published in sources like ICE Mortgage Technology’s Origination Insight Report, and I would check the current VA figure there rather than trust a number repeated across blogs. The belief that VA loans are inherently slower than conventional loans is common, but the delays usually trace to appraisal scheduling and file readiness, not to the program itself.
Refinances run differently. There is no house hunt, so the clock starts at application. A cash-out refinance still needs an appraisal. An Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL), the VA’s streamlined refinance for veterans who already have a VA loan, often needs no appraisal and no income re-verification, which is why it can close sooner. Whether a specific IRRRL skips the appraisal depends on the investor, so ask before you assume.
Certificate of Eligibility and VA Entitlement: The Step Veterans Forget
A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the VA document that confirms you qualify for the benefit. I can often pull it the same day through the VA eligibility portal, and you can also request it directly on VA.gov. The trouble starts when the portal cannot confirm service automatically. Missing service records, an other-than-honorable discharge that needs a character-of-discharge review, or a Guard or Reserve file without the right statement of service can add days or weeks.
Full versus second-tier entitlement
Entitlement is the amount of guaranty the VA will back for you. If you have never used the benefit, or you used it and the prior loan has been paid off and the entitlement restored, you have full entitlement. For loans above the old county limits, a full-entitlement borrower generally has no VA-imposed loan limit, though the investor still sets its own underwriting rules.
Second-tier entitlement applies when you still have an active VA loan, or a past VA loan whose entitlement was never restored, for example after a sale to a non-veteran buyer or a loan you kept as a rental. Part of your guaranty is tied up, and the remaining amount is calculated against the loan limit for the county. That changes the paperwork: your COE has to show the used entitlement, and the underwriter has to run the math on how much remains and whether a down payment is needed. I handle second-tier files regularly, and the main way they go wrong is not discovering the status until the appraisal is back.
Funding fee exemption proof
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge that helps fund the program. Some borrowers are exempt: veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability, Purple Heart recipients, and certain surviving spouses. The details are on the VA funding fee page. Your exemption should appear on the COE, but if the rating decision is pending or the letter is old, get the documentation into the file before underwriting. A fee exemption discovered after the Closing Disclosure goes out can force a revised disclosure and a fresh waiting period.
What Slows a VA Loan Down: Appraisal, Underwriting, and Credit Issues
The appraisal is the stage you and I control least. VA appraisals are ordered through the VA’s appraiser system and assigned by the VA, not picked by the broker. Turnaround depends on local appraiser availability, so I treat any quoted number as an estimate. The appraiser also checks the home against the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements, laid out in VA Pamphlet 26-7. Peeling paint on an older home, a failing roof, or a missing handrail can trigger repair conditions, followed by a re-inspection. Each round can cost several days.
Underwriting delays come from the file, not the calendar. The usual triggers:
- Collections or late payments that need letters of explanation
- A job change shortly before or during the loan
- Large deposits with no paper trail
- Gaps in employment or military pay documentation
- A new tradeline or inquiry that changes your debt-to-income ratio
Credit floors cause a different kind of delay. Many direct companies hold a 620 minimum FICO score, and Veterans United publishes 620. A borrower at 590 who applies there may spend one to two weeks on a full application and hard pull before hearing no, then restart elsewhere with the contract clock running. The VA itself sets no minimum score, so I can place files down to 500 FICO with the right investor, though a score that low needs strong compensating factors and approval is never guaranteed.
The most common self-inflicted delays are easy to avoid: opening a new credit card or auto loan, changing jobs, or moving money between accounts mid-process. Seasonal volume spikes in spring and summer slow every appraiser and underwriting queue. Title problems and HOA document requests also surprise buyers, especially with condos, so I order those early.
Worked Example: A 45-Day VA Purchase Timeline With Real Numbers
This is an illustration, not a promise. Suppose a veteran buys a $400,000 home with 0% down, a 680 FICO score, first-use full entitlement, and no funding fee exemption. The first-use, 0% down funding fee is 2.15% on the VA’s current schedule (confirm on the VA funding fee page, since it can change).
- Funding fee: $400,000 × 0.0215 = $8,600
- Total loan, with the fee financed: $400,000 + $8,600 = $408,600
Here is how the calendar could run:
- Day 1: soft-pull pre-approval and COE confirmed.
- Day 5: purchase contract signed.
- Day 7: appraisal ordered through the VA system.
- Day 17: appraisal returns, no repairs required.
- Days 20 to 35: underwriting reviews the file and clears conditions.
- Day 40: clear-to-close, Closing Disclosure issued.
- Day 45: closing.
What a 15-day delay can cost
Now suppose the appraisal flags a repair and re-inspection pushes closing from day 45 to day 60. Using hypothetical numbers, say the rate is 6.5% and the lock expires on day 45. Daily interest on $408,600 is $408,600 × 0.065 ÷ 365 = about $72.76 per day. Over 15 days, that is roughly $1,091 in extra interest the borrower carries or the seller credit has to absorb, depending on how the contract is written. A lock extension fee, again hypothetical, of 0.25% would be $408,600 × 0.0025 = $1,021.50. Combined, that is about $2,100 in avoidable cost before counting a seller who may have a contract deadline.
The lesson is that delay is not just inconvenient. Early repair negotiation, a lock period that includes a buffer, and a clean file at submission are cheaper than any extension.
Starting Faster With a Soft Credit Pull: NoTouch Credit Pull
The NoTouch Credit Pull at VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak is a soft credit pull mortgage review: I look at your credit report without a hard inquiry, so your score is not affected and you can see where you stand before committing to a full application. It differs from a standard pre-approval because a conventional pre-approval usually requires a hard pull first, and every hard pull is recorded on your report.
The timeline benefit comes from when problems appear. A collection, a thin file, or an eligibility question found in week one costs a few days to fix. The same issue found at underwriting costs weeks, and sometimes the contract. A no hard inquiry mortgage pre approval also lets a veteran test several scenarios, such as a different price range or a cash-out versus an IRRRL, without a score hit. Because I can place files with different wholesale investors, I can usually tell you early which investor fits your profile.
Direct companies typically work differently. Based on my research notes, Rocket and Movement generally need a full application and a hard pull before they produce firm numbers. That is not wrong, but it means a borrower who is unsure about credit takes the hit first and learns the answer second. Verify current practices on each company’s website, since they update their processes.
A soft-pull review is not an approval and does not lock a rate. It tells us what the file looks like and what to fix. Final approval still depends on full documentation, an appraisal, and underwriting.
Broker vs. Direct Lender: Timeline, Credit Floor, and Fees Compared
This table reflects publicly available information and my research notes. Confirm each competitor’s figures on its own site before you rely on them, as programs and pricing change.
| Company | FICO Min (VA) | Lender Type | Loan Shelf | Fees | Typical Pre-Approval Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak | 500 | Independent broker | 500+ wholesale lenders | Broker-negotiated, shop-able; no-out-of-pocket closing options available | NoTouch Credit Pull (soft pull, no hard inquiry) |
| Veterans United | 620 | Direct lender | Single VA-specialty shelf | Includes lender origination fee; confirm on Loan Estimate | Application, then credit review |
| Rocket Mortgage | Varies; no public VA-specific floor | Direct lender | Single shelf | Varies by loan; confirm on Loan Estimate | Hard pull before real numbers |
| Movement Mortgage | 580 | Direct lender | Single shelf | Varies by loan; confirm on Loan Estimate | Full application with hard pull |
Credit where it is due: Veterans United’s VA specialization and in-house processing can be efficient for borrowers who clear 620, and its scale is real. If your score is comfortably above that and your file is simple, a direct company can be a perfectly good path.
What a broker adds is leverage, not a smaller operation. Duane Buziak shops 500+ wholesale lenders instead of working from one rate sheet, uses the NoTouch Credit Pull to match the digital convenience of a direct application without the hard inquiry, and has been recognized as a Scotsman Guide Top Originator (#114 nationally) and VA Broker of the Year for 2024 to 2025. Confirm current standing before relying on those titles in any decision.
The practical advantage is independence. If one investor’s overlay or underwriting queue stalls a file, I can move the loan to another wholesale investor rather than wait. A direct company has one underwriting queue and one set of overlays. That is a choice and credit-flexibility advantage, and I would not call it a speed guarantee.
Closing Timeline Factors by State: Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia
I work across Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia, and the 804-212-8663 number routes to Virginia only because of where the phone line is based. The loan process is the same federal VA program in each state, but local closing practice shifts the last two weeks.
One sourced data point: FHFA’s 2026 conforming loan limit page publishes the baseline limit for one-unit properties and the higher ceilings for high-cost counties. As I understand the announced figures, the baseline is $832,750, but confirm the exact number and your county’s limit on the FHFA page before relying on it. VA full-entitlement borrowers are not capped by it, but it matters when comparing VA against conventional options or when second-tier entitlement is in play (see the VA loan limits page).
Local factors that touch timing, each worth verifying with your closing agent:
- Georgia: closings are generally handled by an attorney, so scheduling around the attorney’s calendar and title review matters.
- Virginia: recordation and transfer taxes apply, and title work can take longer on older properties with long chains of ownership.
- Florida: documentary stamp and intangible taxes affect closing cost figures, and condo or HOA estoppel documents can be a bottleneck.
- Tennessee: closing conventions vary by county, and attorney involvement is common.
The practical step is to tell me the county early so title and closing partners can be lined up before the contract date, not after.
Your File Sets the Clock, Not the Marketing
A prepared file beats any advertised speed. If your COE is in hand, your exemption documents are gathered, your credit has been reviewed, and your bank statements explain themselves, most of the delays described above never occur. Where problems still arise, being able to move your loan to another wholesale investor is worth more than a promise of fast closings.
The best first step is the NoTouch Credit Pull at VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak. It costs your score nothing, and it tells us within a day or two whether your timeline looks clean or needs work first. No review can guarantee a rate or an approval, but it takes the biggest unknowns off the table.
VA Loan Timeline FAQ
How long does a VA appraisal take?
A VA appraisal typically takes one to three weeks from order to report as of 2026, though it can run longer in busy seasons or rural areas. The VA assigns the appraiser, so neither the borrower nor the broker controls the schedule.
Can a VA loan close in 30 days?
Yes, a VA loan can close in 30 days when the COE is ready, the credit file is clean, the appraisal comes back without repairs, and the contract allows it. Many files take 30 to 60 days, so plan on the longer end.
Does the COE delay closing?
The COE rarely delays closing when it can be pulled through the VA portal, which is often same day. Missing service records, discharge reviews, or unrestored entitlement from a prior VA loan can add days or weeks.
How long is a VA pre-approval valid?
A VA pre-approval is commonly valid for 60 to 90 days, but the exact period depends on the investor and on how long the credit and income documents stay current. Ask for the expiration date in writing and refresh it if your search runs long.
Does a VA IRRRL close faster?
An IRRRL often closes faster than a purchase because it usually skips the house hunt and may not require an appraisal or income re-verification. Whether the appraisal is waived depends on the investor, and you still need the Closing Disclosure waiting period.
What credit score is needed for a VA loan?
The VA sets no minimum score, so requirements come from the company funding the loan. Many direct companies use 580 to 620, such as Veterans United at 620 and Movement at 580, while Duane Buziak works with investors who consider scores down to 500 FICO, with approval never guaranteed.
Why is my VA loan taking so long?
The most common causes are a delayed appraisal, repair conditions under the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements, outstanding underwriting conditions such as explanations for deposits or credit items, and title or HOA documents. Ask your loan contact for the exact list of open items, because each one has its own fix and its own timeline.
Can I switch lenders mid-process?
Yes, you can switch mid-process, but it usually restarts underwriting and may require a new appraisal, so it makes sense only when your current file is truly stuck. A broker can often move the same loan to a different wholesale investor without you starting a new application from scratch.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information and is not financial, legal, or tax advice. Rates, fees, VA funding fee percentages, program guidelines, and competitor information change and are subject to change without notice. Examples are illustrations, not offers, and no rate or approval is guaranteed. Consult a licensed professional about your situation. Equal Housing Lender.
About the author: Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, is a VA loan specialist with Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, NMLS #376205, working with veterans in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. He is a Scotsman Guide Top Originator (#114 nationally, $51.2M), VA Broker of the Year for 2024 to 2025, and has more than 1,400 five-star reviews. Read the full About page.