Why you might want to Use a Veterans Affairs loan?
A VA loan often offers:
- No down payment as long as the sales price isn’t higher than the home’s appraised value (the value set for the home after an expert reviews the property)
- Better terms and interest rates than other loans from private banks, mortgage companies, or credit unions (also called lenders)
- The ability to borrow up to the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac conforming loan limit on a no-down-payment loan in most areas—and more in some high-cost counties. You can borrow more than this amount if you want to make a down payment.
- No need for private mortgage insurance (PMI) or mortgage insurance premiums (MIP)
- PMI is a type of insurance that protects the lender if you end up not being able to pay your mortgage. It’s usually required on conventional loans if you make a down payment of less than 20% of the total mortgage amount.
- MIP is what the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requires you to pay to self-insure an FHA loan against future loss.
- Fewer closing costs, which may be paid by the seller
- No penalty fee if you pay the loan off early
Am I eligible for a VA-backed purchase loan?
You may be eligible for a VA-backed purchase loan if you meet all of the requirements listed below.
All of these must be true. You:
- Qualify for a VA-backed home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE), and
- Meet our—and your lender’s—standards for credit, income, and any other requirements, and
- Will live in the home you’re buying with the loan
If you qualify for a VA-backed purchase loan, you can use the loan to:
- Buy a single-family home, up to 4 units
- Buy a condo in a VA-approved project
- Buy a home and improve it
- Buy a manufactured home or lot
- Build a new home
- Make changes or add new features (like solar power) to make your home more energy efficient
You can also:
- Get a VA-backed home loan to buy your first home
- Use your VA loan benefit again if you sell or refinance a home you bought with a VA-backed home loan
- Assume a VA-backed home loan (which means that instead of opening a new mortgage loan, the buyer takes over the seller’s loan)