This is what we consider one of the major benefits for their military service.

What Is a VA Loan?

The loans are made through private lenders but backed by the federal government.

A family of three embrace outside if a home. The woman is a military veteran and she’s holding her baby.

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Among the benefits are often lower interest rates and no down payment.

Probably not as good as youd like.

It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.

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But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?

In 2022, that number was down to 746,091 with the average loan amount of $343,895.

Rouch said the fact PMI is never required with a VA loan is a huge benefit.

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Conventional lenders often require PMI if the buyer is making less than a 20% down payment.

Did you know?

Sometimes, sellers look for cash offers, acing out buyers needing loans.

There can be misunderstandings about the VA loan process which make both buyers and sellers uneasy.

One of those misconceptions is that the process takes much longer than a conventional loan.

Sometimes, the seller will pick an offer based on the fastest closing.

In this case, cash offers are more attractive because the deal can close quickly.

Childs said most of her VA loans have come through in about 30 to 45 days.

According to Fannie Mae, the average closing time for a conventional loan is 47 days.

Who Are VA Loans For?

Contrary to what some might think, VA loans arent just for first-time home buyers.

In high-cost counties, the loan limit is $1,089,300, up from $970,800 in 2022.

Rouch said service after the loan is another advantage of using a VA home loan.

We want to ensure that they not only get a loan but maintain that home as well.

He said they work with loan servicers to verify veterans are taken care of.

The other types of VA loans are:

Who Is Eligible for a VA Loan?

The applicationprocess is onlineas part of a benefits information site from the VA and the Department of Defense.

verify to have any documents handy that you may need to prove your eligibility.

A lender can request a COE on a Veterans behalf.

Im going to document their credit, get their assets and other information.

Once you know how much you prequalify for, you might start looking at homes in your price range.

Where is their money down?

The prequalification can also help agents and home sellers know you are serious about buying their home.

When Im working with buyers, I venture to get them through initial underwriting before they look at houses.

The VA appraisal for a loan is not the same as a home inspection or a traditional home appraisal.

With VA loans, lenders cannot charge the borrower prepayment penalties, attorney fees or settlement charges.

Or help you understand ways to bring it up if necessary.

The home must pass a VA appraisal in order for the buyer to use a VA loan.

There is no loan limit if the borrower meets basic eligibility criteria of service time and character of discharge.

That assumes the borrower has a full loan benefit entitlement.

The lender might set an amount the borrower qualifies for based on income, credit, and other criteria.

There are basic eligibility criteria of service time and character of discharge.

Surviving spouses can also be eligible in certain situations.

Service members and veterans must meet discharge and military service obligations.

Approval for a VA loan is not necessarily any easier or more difficult than approval for a conventional loan.

Eligibility for a VA loan does not always mean loan approval.

Lenders might have other risk criteria they apply to loans that are in addition to VA requirements and guidelines.

(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)

You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…