10/01/2026
🏠 BUYER TIP: What the heck is “Tidewater”?
If you are buying a home with a VA loan, you may hear your lender say:
“We have a Tidewater.”
And immediately think, “Well, that sounds terrible.” 😅
Take a breath.
A Tidewater does NOT mean the appraisal came in low.
It means the appraiser has reached a preliminary value that may come in below the contract price and has notified the lender before finalizing the appraisal.
So what happens next?
🔍 1. Tidewater is triggered
The lender notifies us that the appraiser needs additional information to support the contract price.
📋 2. We gather relevant information
I work with the listing agent to provide comparable closed sales and other information that may support the value.
And yes, the sales matter. We are looking for actual homes that have sold, not just homes currently listed for a certain price.
🏡 3. The appraiser reviews the information
The appraiser considers the additional information and then completes the appraisal.
💰 4. The appraisal comes back
If it appraises at or above the contract price:
Perfect. We keep moving toward closing.
If it appraises below the contract price:
Now we have a valuation issue to work through.
Depending on the circumstances and your contract, options may include:
• Negotiating a price reduction
• Paying the difference
• Challenging the appraisal
• Using applicable contract rights if an agreement cannot be reached
The important thing to know is that Tidewater is not automatically bad news, and it does not mean your deal is dead.
It is a signal that the appraiser needs additional support for the contract price before the appraisal is finalized.
And if you are PCSing to Tyndall from another base, this is one of those little pieces of the VA buying process you probably did not know existed until someone said, “We have a Tidewater.”
That's where having someone who knows the process matters.
No panic. No guessing. We work through it one step at a time.
Beckie Gestring, Realtor® | MRP | FMS
Real Broker, LLC
