VA Loan and Fixer-uppers

[Gabe Santa Cruz]

My wife and I are currently looking to use my VA loan on a home that needs some repairs. Our plan is to live in it, fix it overtime, and either sell it down the road or hold it as rental. I've used the VA loan before without any major problems; however, our previous home was a turnkey and needed nothing.

I know that appraisers are under stricter guidelines when it comes to VA loans and depending on what the issues are the VA will refuse to finance the home. We've already found a home that we really like but know that some of the issues needing repair are going to send up flags without a doubt. Keep in mind that we have not actually been in the house yet, but just from the photos I can see that a bathtub has been ripped out of the second floor and there is essentially just disconnected plumbing, wooden i-beams, and a hole going to the first floor. I'm assuming there may have been some kind of overflow or something that ruined that section of the house.

At any rate, I still need to go see it but as it appears in the photos, I'm confident I could remedy the issue myself. How do I get around this issues with fixer-uppers and still use my VA loan?

Thanks!