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You are here: Home / Blog / Tips for Home Buyers

VA Loans: Making a home for the brave possible

July 4, 2020

VA Loans: Making a home for the brave possible

Since the creation of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loans Program, over 22 million veterans have achieved the American Dream of home ownership. Many veterans do not know the details of the program and therefore do not take advantage of the benefits available to them.

If you are a veteran or you know someone who is, here is a breakdown of the VA Home Loan benefits that can be used to achieve the American Dream!

Top 5 Benefits of a VA Home Loan

  • The greatest benefit of a VA Loan is that borrowers can buy a home with a 0% down payment. In 2016, 82% of all VA Loans put down 0%!
  • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is not required! (Most other loans with down payments under 20% require PMI, which adds additional costs to your monthly housing expense!)
  • Credit Score requirements are also lower for VA Home Loans. The average FICO® score of a borrower for an approved VA Loan is 620, compared to 676 (FHA) or 753 (Conventional).
  • There is also a limitation on a veteran buyer’s closing costs. Sellers can pay all of a buyer’s loan-related closing costs and up to 4% in concessions in some cases.
  • Even with interest rates rising, VA Loans continue to have the lowest average interest rates of all loan types.

Who Qualifies for a VA Home Loan?

One of the most important first steps when applying for a VA Home Loan is obtaining your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The COE verifies to the lender that you are eligible for a VA-backed loan. You can apply for a VA Loan if you:

  • Served 90 consecutive days during wartime;
  • Served 181 consecutive days during peacetime;
  • Have more than 6 years in the National Guard or Reserves;
  • Are the spouse of a service member who has died in the line of duty or as the result of a service-related disability.

You Can Use a VA Loan To:

  • Purchase a Home;
  • Purchase a Condo;
  • Build a Home;
  • Refinance an existing home loan;
  • Make improvements to a home by installing energy-related features or making energy-efficient improvements;

For more information or to find out if you or a loved one would qualify to use the VA Home Loan Benefit, let’s get together! And, thank you for your service!

Filed Under: Tips for Home Buyers Tagged With: Home Loans, VA Loans

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"Russ has done excellent work for us. I have purchased several homes over the years and he is the best I have worked with. We chose Russ on a recommendation from a family member. He didn’t try to sell us on him or his firm. No “fluff talk”, pestering, unnecessary calls, emails or text. Instead, he showed us properties we were interested in and some that we were not aware of. Never felt the least bit of pressure. He was very patient, pleasant and responsive. He has a very relaxed yet professional style. He explained everything in a manner that was easy to understand and we felt very secure throughout the process. He is the best ever. In our mind he is the gold standard of what a Realtor should be."
- N.L., Green Valley AZ
"My husband and I are honored to recommend Russ Fortuno as the most efficient and professional real estate professional we have had. We feel very blessed to have found Russ while we were still in North Carolina. We planned to relocate to Green Valley, AZ and were interested in establishing a rapport and receiving listings prior to moving cross-country. By the time we arrived Russ pretty much knew what we were looking for. Even though the inventory was not terribly plentiful at the time we found our home the very first day we went looking!!! In addition to helping us find the perfect home, Russ was wonderful to refer us to local contractors and professionals in our area. He is a wealth of information and took the time to answer any questions we had. We also felt the step-by-step timeline Russ includes in his service was very helpful."
- M.P., Green Valley, AZ
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- S.H., Green Valley AZ
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Russ Fortuno, Associate Broker

I'm a Southern Arizona native and year-round Green Valley resident. Whether you’re buying or selling a home in the Green Valley or Sahuarita area, you’ll experience unsurpassed service and professionalism at all stages of your real estate transaction. I welcome the opportunity to assist in your next home sale or purchase.
Meet Russ

Tierra Antigua Realty

18745 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Ste. A105
Green Valley, AZ 85614
(520) 333-0446
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