Can't close escrow on my house because VA appraiser cant be found (mortgage)

[hd_rider]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice.

I have a house in Peyton currently in escrow and nearing our scheduled closing date on Sept 21st.

The problem I am having is the mortgage company I'm working with is having difficulty getting a VA appraiser out to the house to do the appraisal. I'm being told that VA appraisers in the Colorado Spring region are few and far between and that I may have to push out the closing date until an appraiser can be scheduled.

Has anyone else encountered this issue recently?

Am I better off sticking with this mortgage company (who I'm not really impressed with) or should I consider going to ENT, or some other company, to start the process over again? (Maybe ENT has more "pull" and can get an appraiser out to the house without delay?) Should I try to find a VA appraiser on my own or leave it up to the mortgage company to keep trying?

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Ryan]

Unfortunately, this is common right now in the Springs; VA appraisers in the area are stretched pretty thin. It is to the point now that it is the expectation that a loan involving a VA buyer will most likely mean pushing the closing date back. VA loans should be set for at least 45 days out, as opposed to 30 for a conventional loan. And even then it is possible that it may be pushed back.

Don't switch mortgage companies now, as they have little pull with the appraisers and how fast it gets done. The VA assigns the appraisers, not the mortgage company. The advantage to the local lender is really how fast they get things moving after the appraisal is done. They seem to care more about their relationship with local Realtors and the community in general (their clients) and, in my opinion, go to greater lengths to expedite things. In the future, ENT is great because they do all their own underwriting locally, which really makes things easier throughout the loan process. And I think they are just all around great and easy to work with.

But since you already started the process and are almost done, it would be best to stick with your current lender and stick it out. You're in the same boat as all the VA buyers right now, unfortunately it doesn't get much better.

Mike