A Comprehensive Guide to Military Benefits Joining the United States Military as a soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guard member or Space Force Guardian means accepting a commission or taking an oath of enlistment. The oath describes the new servicemember’s obligations to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign… Read more »
The VA loan benefit is designed to help qualifying active duty, Reserve, National Guard, veterans, and surviving spouses build, buy, renovate, or refinance a home. Learn more.
The VA mortgage benefit is one of the most important military benefits you can qualify for outside of the GI Bill. But did you know that some who did not serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard could still qualify? VA home loans typically require a minimum amount… Read more »
Credit scores are one “pillar” of VA loan approval, and combined with your loan repayment record and your history of income and employment, this information tells the lender a great deal about you as a potential credit risk. But the credit score issue can be confusing for many. One of the most important things to… Read more »
Do you need to know about VA home loan eligibility requirements? Most who serve on active duty today are required to serve 90 continuous days on active duty before they can apply for a VA Certificate of Eligibility for a VA home loan. But what about members of the National Guard or the Reserve? What… Read more »
The VA home loan is an important military benefit. The ability to apply for a mortgage with no down payment and no VA-required mortgage insurance premiums are two major financial incentives to choose a VA mortgage. But how do VA loans compare with other types of mortgage loans? When comparing government loan programs such as… Read more »
The VA Home Loan program is one of the most popular non-medical military benefits you can use. Only the GI Bill rivals the VA loan program in terms of its visibility and usefulness, but some of the VA loan program’s options aren’t as well-understood. For example, did you know that when you are approved for… Read more »
When was the last time you explored your VA loan options? If it’s been a while, some aspects of the program may be quite different for you. In 2020, there were alterations made to the VA home loan benefit thanks to legislation known as the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. Some of… Read more »
You may not be required to make a down payment for a VA home loan, but some borrowers choose to do so to lower the amount of the VA loan funding fee and get a lower starting balance on the mortgage. In such cases, a borrower might seek some kind of down payment help to… Read more »
What do you need to know about VA mortgages before applying for one? Sometimes half the battle is knowing the facts and ignoring the myths and half-truths. VA Loan Facts: Many Housing Types Are Possible You can use a VA loan to buy, refinance, or renovate a suburban home, condo unit, mobile home or manufactured… Read more »
The VA home loan benefit is one of the most popular military benefits you can use. The GI Bill and VA disability benefits may compete for the most commonly used, but VA home loans are likely the best-known (and least understood) of the three. VA home loans are available for those who have served enough… Read more »
Which is better, an FHA mortgage or a VA home loan? Some may be confused by this article’s headline. If you have access to a no-money-down VA mortgage with no mortgage insurance requirement, why would you consider an FHA mortgage loan instead? FHA loans, after all, have down payments and mortgage insurance requirements. VA home… Read more »
If you want to use your VA home loan benefits to purchase a home, there are many expenses to budget and save for, including closing costs.
Ever wonder what a loan officer is really looking for when you apply for a VA home loan? There are some very obvious issues including FICO scores, loan repayment history, and credit utilization.
If you have never used your VA home loan benefits and are planning to retire or separate from the military, there are some issues to consider. For example, if you are not retiring, but separating from the military, buying a home may be more complicated if you don’t have a job lined up at loan… Read more »
VA home loans are government-backed mortgages. That government backing makes it easier to qualify with FICO scores, employment history, and debt ratios. But even with the government’s guarantee to repay the participating VA lender in case of home loan default, the borrower must still financially qualify for the loan. What do you need to know… Read more »
If you are eligible for a VA home loan and want to apply to buy a home, there are some issues you should be familiar with long before you begin the process. The VA loan benefit is one of the most important options offered for some military members and veterans; the ability to qualify for… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t typically dispense consumer advice the way federal watchdog agencies like the Federal Trade Commission does. But some circumstances require going the extra mile and the VA issued its very first “warning order” all the way back in 2017 to let VA borrowers know about a growing wave of scams… Read more »
Why should you consider making a down payment on a VA home loan? Here are the scenarios where you may want to make a down payment? Learn more.
Looking for a condo unit to purchase with a VA loan? Here are some important aspects of the condo loan process you should be aware of.
Here we answer 2 questions, “why would I want to make a down payment on a VA loan mortgage?” and “can I use cryptocurrency for a down payment?” Learn more.
VA Loan Benefits: Getting Started Are you wondering how to get started with your VA home loan benefits? The most important thing to do starting out is to determine whether you are currently eligible to receive a VA Certificate of Eligibility (VA COE). Those who are eligible may apply for it may do so in a… Read more »
What do VA home loan rules say about occupancy, deployments, and investment properties? These don’t sound like related topics at first, but believe it or not, the VA Lender’s Handbook, VA Pamphlet 26-7, has a lot to say about all three subjects and they do intersect. Learn more.
What are the rules for occupancy when you are approved for a VA home loan? Most government-backed purchase loans…
The VA Certificate of Eligibility (VA COE) is your gateway to the VA home loan program and without it, you can’t officially move forward with a VA mortgage application. Learn more.
In a recently released entry into the Federal Register, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended the regulations regarding grants for Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Program. The Specially Adapted Housing Program Within this program there are two major sources of assistance: Specially Adapted Housing Grant Special Housing Adaptation Grant The assistance provided by the SAH… Read more »
The housing market in Washington DC is typically a seller’s market. Here we look into the housing markets just outside of DC. Read more.
The VA has announced that it is extending the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures until June 30, 2021 due to COVID-19.
Buying a home can be more complicated for military families. This list will introduce key factors for military families to consider.
Do you know about all of the VA benefits you and your loved ones may qualify for? This list can help you make sure you’re not missing out on health care, life insurance, or financial assistance. If you’re receiving benefits, there are resources to help you learn more about how to manage those benefits.
VA Streamline Refinancing is a different way of referring to the VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan, or VA IRRRL (pronounced “Earl”) and is an option for some homeowners who utilized a VA Loan to purchase their house.
The National Guard’s COVID-19 response has created some additional benefits, in the form of veteran home loans, or VA Loans. The latter was activated during the pandemic, thanks to a provision in the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act.
A military family may want to capitalize on low mortgage rates & “put down roots.” Here’s what you need to know about buying a home remotely.
Buying a home may be the biggest money-decision you make. Here’s a list to can do the prepare you for a home purchase as a military family.
Can You Borrow More Than Your House is Worth With a VA Loan? Here’s a scenario. Let’s say you want to buy a $250,000 home. You qualify for a VA loan and know that it will be a $0-down mortgage. The problem is, you want to replace all of the kitchen appliances, and that carpet in the… Read more »
Homeownership remains at the heart of the American Dream. To assist Veterans and Service Members in purchasing a home, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created the VA Home Loan program. Learn more.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a number of housing grants that are funded to help veterans regain independence in their daily lives. Here we provide an overview of these programs.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law to address the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. economy by “providing fast and direct economic assistance for American workers and families.” For most Americans, this included stimulus checks, additional unemployment payments, tax-filing extensions and insurance coverage of virus-related treatments. But for service members and veterans with a VA home loan, there are some additional benefits the CARES Act provides.
The VA Loan may include no down payment, no PMI, and relaxed standards for credit scores. Find out if a VA loan is right for you.
As a member of the military community, you may be eligible for the VA Loan. Here are the VA Loan best practices according to one veteran.
As a service member or veteran, you may be eligible for the VA loan. The VA Home Loan program is a “must use” benefit. Learn more.
2020 Military Benefit Updates Changes For the latest military benefit changes for 2022, please go here. Changes announced so far. Please keep checking back, as we will continue updating new changes to your military benefits for 2020. TRICARE Drug Costs To Increase By Over 40% Every year on January 1st, TRICARE has its regular cost… Read more »
Starting Jan 1st, 2020, there will be changes to the VA loan limits. There will no longer be VA loan limits, but VA loan fees will rise. Read more.
When it comes to buying a home, many military families use a VA loan. Here are the VA Loan Requirements you need to know before you borrow.
The max VA Loan amount is virtually the same across the US. But high cost counties allow for more. Here are the 2019 VA Loan Limits.