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5 Reasons Military Veterans Should Use a VA Loan to Finance Their Home
As a veteran, you have worked hard and made unimaginable sacrifices to protect our country and our freedom. It's only fair that you receive some benefits in return! One of the major benefits of your service to our country is the opportunity to use a VA Mortgage Loan to purchase or refinance a home. Here are five great reasons to use a VA loan to finance your home:
1.Qualified buyers using a VA loan may purchase a home with no down payment.
Because the federal government insures a portion of each VA loan, lenders know their interests are protected. Therefore, lenders offer veterans VA home loans without requiring a down payment (up to the Federal Housing Agency limit for the property’s county). Obviously, the ability to buy a home without saving for years to accumulate a down payment is a huge advantage to you.
2. VA loan rates are typically lower than conventional loans.
Since VA loan investors know the loans are guaranteed by the federal government, as a veteran, you could receive a better interest rate than many conventional mortgage loans would typically offer.
3. VA loans do not require or include any monthly mortgage insurance premium payments.
Typically, homebuyers who do not put 20% down will pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) on a conventional loan or PMI plus monthly mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) on a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan. However, VA loans never charge any monthly insurance fee, so you save money every month! Even if your insurance premium would have been a reasonable $100 per month, that's $1,200 per year you'd save with a VA loan.
4. Buyers' closing costs on VA loans are limited.
While closing costs usually run 2-5% of the home loan amount for most buyers, as a veteran taking out a VA loan, your closing costs are limited. Again, that means you save money! The Department of Veterans Affairs dictates exactly what you will and will not pay and the associated amounts. VA loans require a one-time funding fee, which is waived for veterans who have a service-connected disability rating through the VA.
5. Veteran or non-veteran buyers may assume your VA loan when you sell, possibly making your home more attractive to buyers.
If you have a VA loan, when you sell your home, you may allow your buyer—whether a veteran or not—to assume your VA loan. Since non-veterans are not usually eligible for a VA loan and its associated benefits, the ability to assume your loan may make your home an attractive buy. All buyers must qualify for the loan, and veterans who allow non-veterans to assume their loan may lose their entitlement.
If you're a veteran and you're considering purchasing or refinancing a home, make sure you check out a VA loan. Don't miss out on all the perks you deserve for your military service!
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Homebuying & SellingTamara Tapman
Tamara Tapman is a military veteran’s community representative and certified Texas Real Estate Commission Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) instructor. As the former Mortgage Lender Liaison and Branch Manager at the Texas Veterans Land Board for more than two decades, she has been a devoted military advocate, helping veterans to take advantage of their benefits and obtain low-interest home loans.
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