A VA Reconsideration of Value is a written request asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to re-examine a property’s appraised value after the Notice of Value has been issued. You file one when the VA appraisal comes in below your contract price and you have market data or evidence of appraisal errors that support a higher figure. The request goes through your lender to the VA Regional Loan Center with jurisdiction over the property, where staff decide whether to issue an amended Notice of Value.
When an ROV Is the Right Move
An ROV is worth filing when you can point to something concrete the original appraiser missed or got wrong. Two things count as concrete: recent closed comparable sales the appraiser didn’t use, and factual mistakes in the appraisal report itself. A request that simply argues the number feels too low will not change the outcome. The VA reviewer needs a reason to reach a different conclusion than the fee appraiser did.
One boundary worth knowing before you start: if your appraisal hasn’t been finalized yet and you were notified under the VA’s Tidewater policy that the value is coming in low, you have a two-day window to submit comps directly to the appraiser.1U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Circular 26-17-18 – Tidewater Policy That’s a separate process from an ROV. If the Notice of Value has already been issued, Tidewater is over and the ROV is your path.
Gather Your Evidence
The VA Lenders Handbook encourages you to submit market data with an ROV request, though it isn’t strictly required.2Veterans Benefits Administration. VA Appraisal Policies In practice, an ROV without evidence rarely changes anything. Strong evidence falls into two categories.
- Comparable sales. Look for recent closed sales the original appraiser didn’t use that closed before the appraisal’s effective date. The homes should be similar in size, age, condition, and location to the property you’re buying. For each comp, include the sale price, closing date, address, and an MLS printout. Pending sales and active listings carry far less weight because no final transaction has occurred.
- Appraisal errors. Review the report line by line with your real estate agent. Incorrect square footage, a missing finished basement, the wrong year of construction, or comps that differ significantly from the subject property in size or condition can all undermine the appraised value. Document each error with tax records, building permits, or MLS data showing the correct figures.
Your agent is the most valuable person to have on this. Agents have MLS access and can pull detailed sale histories that aren’t available to the general public. Ask them to focus on sales the original appraiser overlooked that support a value closer to your contract price.
Assemble the Package
There is no single VA form dedicated to Reconsideration of Value requests. VA Form 26-1805, which sometimes comes up in conversations about appraisals, is the “Request for Determination of Reasonable Value” and is used to order the initial appraisal, not to challenge one.3Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 26-1805 – Request for Determination of Reasonable Value Your lender may have its own ROV template or comps grid. Use whatever format the lender provides.
The package has three parts.
Your letter. Write a straightforward request explaining why you believe the appraised value should be increased and what you think the property is actually worth. State the purchase price, the appraised value, the dollar gap, and the specific reasons the appraisal undervalues the home. If you know about recent renovations, neighborhood improvements, or features the appraiser may not have been aware of, mention them.
A narrative summary. This is typically prepared by your agent and is what the VA reviewer will weigh most heavily. It should identify specific problems with the original appraisal: point to the comparable sales the appraiser used and explain why your alternatives are more representative, whether that’s location, recency, layout, or condition. If the appraisal contains factual mistakes, lay them out clearly with evidence attached. Be specific rather than vague.
The supporting comps and documentation. Attach the MLS sheets, tax records, permits, or other paperwork that backs up everything in the letter and narrative. Organize the comps in a grid similar to the format the original appraisal uses so the reviewer can compare them directly.
Submit Through the Lender
You don’t send the ROV to the VA yourself. The request goes to the VA Regional Loan Center that has jurisdiction over the property’s location, and your lender handles the transmission.2Veterans Benefits Administration. VA Appraisal Policies When the request is routed through the lender, the lender’s Staff Appraisal Reviewer, or SAR, is encouraged to research market data independently and include a recommendation with your package. A SAR who finds your evidence convincing can add weight before it reaches VA staff.
Do not contact the original fee appraiser to argue for a higher number. Appraiser independence is a core principle of the VA loan program. The lender’s SAR application form specifically states that “no pressure or influence is to be exerted on the appraiser to remove or change valid appraisal report information, or to reach a predetermined value for a property.”4Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 26-0785 – Lender’s Staff Appraisal Reviewer Application All communication runs through the lender and the formal ROV channel.
There is no filing fee. The ROV process itself costs nothing beyond the time spent assembling the evidence.
What Happens After You File
Once the Regional Loan Center receives the package, VA staff review the original appraisal, your additional data, and market information available through the VA’s Appraisal Management System. The standard timeline is five business days.2Veterans Benefits Administration. VA Appraisal Policies In some cases the reviewer orders a field review, which is an additional on-site evaluation, and that extends the timeline to up to 20 business days.
If VA staff conclude the market supports a higher value, they issue an amended Notice of Value. If they don’t, the original NOV stands. The VA’s decision on an ROV is final. You cannot file a second Reconsideration of Value on the same property for the same transaction. Your lender will notify you of the outcome.
If the Value Doesn’t Change
A denied ROV narrows your choices but doesn’t automatically end the deal. You have three realistic paths.
- Negotiate a lower purchase price. The low appraisal gives you leverage. You can show the seller that the home didn’t appraise at the contract price and ask them to come down to the appraised value or split the difference. Whether the seller agrees depends on the local market and how motivated they are.
- Pay the difference in cash. Federal regulations require the veteran to pay in cash the difference between the purchase price and the reasonable value. You’re allowed to do this. Think carefully about whether you want to pay more than a professional appraiser says the property is worth.5eCFR. 38 CFR 36.4339 – Loan Guaranty Requirements
- Walk away from the deal. VA loans include a safeguard called the VA Amendment to Contract, which protects your earnest money deposit if the appraisal comes in below the purchase price. If the numbers don’t work, you can exit the contract and keep your deposit.