Veteran Administration (VA) Home Loans

 

If you are military, active duty or vet, and looking to buy a home in the Northern Virginia or DC area, now is a great time. Using a Realtor® who is also an experienced Military Relocation Professional (MRP) is the best way to make sure you are successfully guided through the VA loan process.

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What is a VA Loan? 

 

In 1944, the U.S. government created a military loan guaranty program intended to help returning service members purchase homes. The Veterans Administration loan was born from this program and is a mortgage loan issued by approved lenders and guaranteed by the federal government.

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Who is eligible? 

 

Any active duty military person or veteran who meets any one of the following requirements:

• Served 181 days during peacetime (Active Duty);

• Served 90 days during wartime (Active Duty);

• Served 6 years in the Reserves or National Guard;

• If you are a spouse of a service member who was killed in the line of duty.

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What are the advantages of a VA Loan?

 

• Lower payments: No private mortgage insurance and low, competitive rates mean lower monthly payments.

• Easier to qualify than other loan programs: 80 percent of veterans and service members can’t qualify for a conventional loan.

• 0% Down: The VA home mortgage is one of the only home loans available today with this money-saving benefit (limits apply).

• No pre-payment penalties.

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What is the loan limit in Northern Virginia? 

 

The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 eliminated VA loan limits, starting Jan. 1, 2020, for veterans and service members with full entitlement to VA loans. The law, which also increased the VA funding fee, will provide disability benefits for more veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.  However, service members and veterans who have one or more active VA loans, or who have defaulted on a VA loan, will still be subject to loan limits.

 

For a single-family residence in Northern Virginia (Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William) , the limit in 2020 is $765,600. That’s the maximum a VA loan borrower subject to the limit can finance for no money down.

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What is the VA funding fee? 

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Active duty must pay funding fees for VA Loans – which can range from 1.3% – 3.6%. Veterans are not required to pay the funding fee if they have at least a 10% disability.  Considering that a VA loan requires no down payment and has no monthly mortgage insurance, this funding fee reduces the loan’s cost to taxpayers. The funding fee is a percentage of the loan amount which varies based on the type of loan and your military category, if you are a first-time or subsequent loan user, and whether you make a down payment. You have the option to finance the VA funding fee or pay it in cash, but the funding fee must be paid at closing time. You are exempt from the funding fee in 2020 if you are:

 

• Entitled to or are receiving compensation for a service-connected disability.

• A surviving spouse of a veteran who died while serving or from a service-connected disability.

• An active-duty service member who has received a Purple Heart.

 

 

 

“Heidi went above and beyond her role as our realtor. We flew in from Germany for a five-day house-hunting trip, shortened to 4 days due to snow storm. Heidi lined up houses that fit our needs to a T and within four days of house hunting we found the house of our dreams, placed an offer and had an inspection conducted before we were even on the plane back to Germany. Most importantly we felt that Heidi truly cared about our family, which is not an experience we have had before with other realtors.”

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Liz G. (Buyer, Military Client).