source:
  type: regulation
  id: va-m26-7-ch18-t03
  authority: VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Chapter 18, Topic 3 — Training and Initial Test Case Reviews
  description: "VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 Chapter 18 Topic 3 (Training and Initial Test Case Reviews). Gap-fill\
    \ (verbatim). \n"
obligations:
- id: va-m26-7-ch18-t03-0
  canonical_id: va-m26-7-ch18-t03-0
  section: VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 Ch.18 Topic 3 — Training and Initial Test Case Reviews
  description: 'Ch.18 Topic 3 Training and Initial Test Case Reviews: 3. Training and Initial Test Case Reviews
    a. Requirements Staff Appraisal Reviewers (SARs) with preliminary approval may not independently review liquidation
    appraisal reports and issue liquidation Notice of Values (NOVs), without the involvement of Department of Veterans
    Affairs…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - va-m26-7
  - section-complete
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Chapter 18, Topic 3 — Training and Initial Test Case Reviews
    source_class: va-handbook-m26-7
    source_url: https://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/pam26_7.asp
    snapshot_id: 34112e99016b0680
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:1735e2e83fc5c6fe6d74455696b4598c88331cc488c987c8bf66437a97300d61
    paragraph_quote: '3. Training and Initial Test Case Reviews a. Requirements Staff Appraisal Reviewers (SARs)
      with preliminary approval may not independently review liquidation appraisal reports and issue liquidation
      Notice of Values (NOVs), without the involvement of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), until they receive
      final approval. To obtain final approval, the SAR must complete the following: • attend Servicer Appraisal
      Processing Program (SAPP) SAR training, and • successfully complete five initial test cases to demonstrate
      comprehension of VA liquidation appraisal review requirements to VA’s satisfaction. VA Central Office staff
      will provide SAPP SAR training at the request of the servicer and VA Regional Loan Center (RLC) staff will
      conduct the initial test case reviews. b. Test Case Procedures Upon completion of SAR training, SARs may begin
      submitting their test cases in The Appraisal System (TAS) for VA review. Only one test case should be pending
      at any time; SARs should not submit an additional test case until the results of a previously submitted test
      case are known. RLC staff will notify the SAR about the results of the review. The RLC staff performing the
      review of test cases must complete the liquidation appraisal review and issue the NOV within five workdays
      from the date the case is submitted by the SAR. The following table outlines the steps for processing SAPP
      SAR test cases. Please note that these are the same steps for processing any SAPP cases, except for the requirement
      of VA involvement. Step Description 1 SAR accesses the VA E-Appraisal application in the Veterans Information
      Portal (VIP or Portal) and retrieves a SAPP appraisal. (Only SAPP appraisals associated with the SAR’s company
      may be retrieved.) 2 SAR reviews the appraisal report for completeness and conformity with industry-accepted
      appraisal practices and techniques, and for compliance with applicable VA directives and general and liquidation
      appraisal requirements in chapter 11. The SAR must resolve any concerns with the appraiser. (Report any contact
      with the appraiser and the results in “Processing Notes” when issuing the NOV.) Continued on next page VA
      Pamphlet 26-7, Revised'
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim from M26-7 Ch.18 Topic 3 body (max-gap occurrence), snapshot 34112e99016b0680;
      substring-verified.
  judgment: false
