VA Loan Myths in Sacramento: Why Offers Really Lose
I've sat across the table from veterans who wrote a strong offer, on a home they could easily afford, and lost it. Not because the offer was weak. Because somewhere between the buyer's agent and the listing agent, someone said "VA loans are a hassle" and the seller got spooked.
That belief is old. It's not true anymore. And it's costing veterans homes in Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado County every week.
Here's what's actually going on, myth by myth.
"VA appraisals come in low, or the process is stricter than other loans"
VA appraisals follow a standard set of minimum property requirements, the same idea as FHA. They're checking that the home is safe, sound, and sanitary. That's it. It's not a stricter inspection designed to kill deals. Most homes in normal condition sail through it the same as they would with a conventional or FHA appraisal.
"The seller has to pay all the closing costs"
No. VA loans limit which specific fees the buyer can be charged, not who pays for everything. Closing costs are negotiated the same way they are on any offer, VA or not. A seller isn't signing up for a bigger bill just because the buyer is using a VA loan.
"The termite inspection is a dealbreaker"
In California, a termite (pest) report is common on plenty of conventional deals too, it's not a VA-only requirement that singles out veterans. If something turns up, it's usually a minor, fixable item, not a reason to walk away from an accepted offer.
"VA loans take longer to close"
They don't have to. A lender who actually specializes in VA loans, who isn't seeing one for the first time this year, can run the same timeline as a conventional loan. The slowdown people remember usually traces back to a lender who doesn't do many VA loans, not to the loan program itself.
"VA buyers always lose in multiple offers"
This is the one that bothers me most, because it's rarely about the buyer. It's about the fact that nobody explained the loan to the listing agent before the seller made a decision. An unfamiliar loan type sounds risky. A loan type someone just explained to you, with your questions answered, doesn't.
The fix isn't a stronger offer. It's a phone call.
This is the part most veterans don't know they can ask for. When I have a client writing an offer, I don't just submit paperwork. I call the listing agent. I walk them through exactly what a VA loan means for their seller, in plain terms, and I answer whatever they're worried about before it becomes a reason to say no.
Most of the time, that call is the whole ballgame. A listing agent who understands the loan stops seeing "VA" as a red flag and starts seeing it as just another well-qualified offer.
What to actually do about it
Before you write your next offer, ask your lender one question: will you personally call the listing agent and walk them through the VA loan process?
If they hesitate, or they've never done it, that tells you something about how your offer is going to be handled. A lender who specializes in VA loans and is willing to have that conversation removes an objection that has nothing to do with you as a buyer, and everything to do with an outdated idea about the loan.
I can't promise a phone call gets every offer accepted. Sellers choose for all kinds of reasons. But I can tell you the myth itself, the idea that VA loans are risky or slow, is one objection that shouldn't be costing you a home in 2026. It's fixable, and it starts with someone willing to pick up the phone.
Chris Kennedy is the founder of Reliant Lending in Sacramento, a Navy veteran, and NMLS #971546. He specializes in VA loans for veterans buying in Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado County.