Sponsors (3)
The bill aims to reduce appraisal delays for veterans by boosting pay for appraisers and increasing transparency and oversight, but it raises VA program costs and may create short-term operational strain and market unpredictability.
Veterans in high-demand or remote counties will generally get faster access to VA home loan appraisals because the bill raises appraiser pay and mileage reimbursements for designated counties, making it easier to attract appraisers to underserved or congested markets.
VA borrowers, appraisers, taxpayers, and Congress will have more transparency and fiscal information because the VA must publish current fees and county designations quarterly, notify appraisers, make a feasibility study public, and provide budgetary impact estimates to Congress.
VA home loan program integrity may improve because the study must include recommendations to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in appraisal procurement and administration.
Taxpayers (and potentially veterans if costs are reallocated) will face higher VA program costs because higher appraisal fees and mileage reimbursements raise per-appraisal expenses and could be compounded by procurement changes recommended in the study.
Implementing reporting and study deadlines (180 days) and carrying out the feasibility study could strain VA staff and resources, potentially diverting time from loan processing and veteran services and slowing operations in the short term.
Tying annual fee adjustments to the FHFA House Price Index may gradually increase appraisal costs in rising housing markets, raising ongoing program expenditures.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Sets inflation‑adjusted VA appraisal fees, designates high‑demand and remote counties with higher fees, reimburses appraiser mileage, and requires VA reports on costs and feasibility.
Introduced March 26, 2026 by Tammy Duckworth · Last progress March 26, 2026
Creates a new, inflation‑adjusted fee schedule and mileage reimbursement for appraisals used in VA home‑loan programs, with higher fees allowed for designated “high‑demand” counties and rules for designating remote counties. Requires the VA to set baseline fees within 180 days, update fees annually beginning January 1, 2027, publish and notify appraisers, maintain quarterly lists of designated counties, and reimburse round‑trip mileage at the GSA rate. Directs the VA to deliver two reports within 180 days: a cost and operational impact estimate of the new fee rules (including effects on staffing, appraisal times, and loan use, plus fraud prevention recommendations) and a feasibility study on contracting appraisers for undersupplied areas and aligning the VA appraisal process more closely with the FHA model. Also amends chapter table to insert the new statutory provision.