What the 2026 Appraisal Change Means for Veteran Buyers

Why the November deadline everyone is talking about lands on conventional loans, not your VA loan

If you are a veteran shopping for a home this fall, you may have heard that home appraisals are changing on November 2. The change is real, and it is a big one for the mortgage industry. It is also widely misunderstood, because most of what is being said about it describes conventional loans rather than the VA loan process.

What is changing

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two companies behind most conventional mortgages, are moving to a new appraisal report format called UAD 3.6. Beginning November 2, 2026, appraisals on those conventional loans must use it. The older set of fixed appraisal forms is being replaced by a single report that adjusts to the property and captures more detailed information than before. For the loans it applies to, it is the biggest appraisal update in more than a decade.

What is not changing

How an appraiser determines a home's worth does not change. The redesign affects how the appraisal is written up and delivered, not the way value is reached. An appraiser still arrives at value by comparing the home with recent nearby sales, the same as before.

Where your VA loan stands

The November 2 deadline is a conventional-loan deadline. VA loans are appraised through the VA's own system, which is separate from the one the November deadline applies to. As of now, the VA has not announced that it is adopting the new format, and it has not set a date to do so. In plain terms, a veteran buying with a VA loan this fall is not working against the November 2 deadline. Your appraisal continues under the VA process, unaffected by the new form. In fact, the VA's own 2026 appraisal updates made that process faster and simpler earlier this year.

One habit worth keeping this fall

Even though the deadline does not affect the VA loan process, the whole appraisal profession is learning the new format for its conventional work at the same time, and in any busy market appraisal timing is worth watching. One habit serves every buyer well right now: give the appraisal room to breathe. Build enough time into your contract timeline so an appraiser's busy fall schedule does not put pressure on your closing date.

Who to ask about your specific loan

If you want to confirm how this applies to your specific situation, I am happy to connect you with a lender who is experienced with the various loan products available, and who knows the VA's system well. My focus is ensuring every step of the transaction, including the appraisal, runs smoothly from offer to closing.

The headlines this fall will make the appraisal change sound like it reaches every buyer at once. For veterans using the loan you earned, the takeaway is that your benefit works the way it always has. If you are planning a move in the coming months and want a clear read on how the process looks for your situation, reach out.

Michelle Campbell | Campbell Group at Epique Realty | campbellgrouprealty.com