If you are an active-duty service member or veteran and are looking to purchase a house, a VA home loan is likely the best mortgage option for you.
However, there are certain VA loan requirements to consider. First and foremost, you must have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). In addition to satisfying the eligibility conditions set forth by the Department of Veteran Affairs, you must also meet borrower standards set forth by lenders.
Fortunately, Griffin Funding has several VA home loans that are specifically designed to help active-duty military personnel and veterans in California and Hawaii qualify for a mortgage and purchase their new home or refinance their mortgage. Our favorable terms are much more flexible than traditional mortgage loans, helping you overcome the common barriers to entry for homeownership.
Learn more about the exact requirements for VA loan eligibility, the minimum credit score for a VA loan, and how to obtain a VA loan with Griffin Funding.
How Does a VA Home Loan Work?
The Department of Veteran Affairs, commonly referred to as the “VA”, guarantees a portion of the home loan. This is known as an entitlement, which works as a substitute for a down payment. There are two parts to the VA entitlement:
- Basic Entitlement: The VA will insure up to 25% of loan amounts up to $144,000 or $36,000, whichever amount is less. Unless you live in a fairly affordable part of the country, you will likely need to use both your basic entitlement and your bonus entitlement.
- Bonus Entitlement: The VA will insure up to 25% of loan amounts between $144,000 to the current conforming loan limit in your county which is established by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Bonus entitlements are used when the cost of a home is over $144,000. They also serve as a secondary layer of protection should you default on your mortgage.
Typically, you can borrow up to four times your entitlement amount. When both the basic entitlement and bonus entitlement are utilized, you can qualify for a loan of $484,350, or in some cases, more. While these amounts are standardized, the loan limit and entitlements may be greater in high-cost areas. In areas like California and Hawaii, VA Jumbo loans over the county loan limit are commonplace.
Keep in mind that if you live in a county with low housing costs and do not need to use the entirety of your entitlement, you can use it toward your next down payment if you sell this home and move. Since VA loan limits change, it can be difficult to be fully informed. Our knowledgeable loan officers can provide further clarification on how VA home loans work.
Are VA Home Loans Only Available for Purchasing a Home?
In addition to VA home loans that help you purchase a house, you can also refinance your current VA loan or another mortgage loan. There are also similar programs through the VA that allow you to build, repair, and adapt your home.
VA home loans are provided through private lenders, like Griffin Funding. Review our VA Mortgage Brochure to learn more about our VA home loan programs.
Who Qualifies for a VA Loan?
To be eligible for a VA loan, you must fall into one of the following categories:
- Servicemembers ( must have served at least 90 days during wartime or 181 days during peacetime)
- Veterans (service during wartime or peacetime )
- Reserves and national guard members who have completed six years of service
- Eligible surviving spouses (spouse must have died as a result of service or service-related injuries, or you must be in receipt of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC); cannot be remarried)
- Certain members of the armed forces of a government allied with the U.S. during World War II (must be a U.S. citizen)
- Spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who is serving on active duty and has been listed as a prisoner of war or missing-in-action (for at least 90 days)
VA loan eligibility is dependent upon the length of service, duty status, and character of service. It is important to note that individuals who have been dishonorably discharged are not eligible for a VA home loan.
What are the VA Loan Requirements?
There are several VA loan requirements you will need to comply with. However, the requirements depend on the specifics of your VA loan structure.
Griffin Funding Requirements for VA Purchase Loan or Cash-Out Refinance
For those applying for a VA purchase loan or a cash-out refinance, the following VA loan requirements apply:
- Obtain a certificate of eligibility (COE) (which can be requested electronically)
- Income qualification
- Minimum 550 FICO score
- 2 year waiting period for foreclosures, short sales, and Chapter 7 bankruptcies
- 1 year waiting period for Chapter 13 bankruptcies
- Completion of pest inspection and VA appraisal
Please note that you may only use a VA home loan for your primary residence. If you have questions about VA loan requirements, our loan officers will gladly clarify any points of confusion.
Griffin Funding Requirements for VA to VA Refinance
For those applying for a VA to VA refinance, the VA loan requirements are much more flexible, including:
- No income or asset verification
- No credit score required
- No pest or termite inspection
- No monthly MI (mortgage insurance)
For VA to VA refinancing, recent credit events including foreclosures, short sales, and bankruptcies are okay.
To apply for a VA home loan through Griffin Funding, you must be current on your existing mortgage for the last 90 days. To learn more about our VA loan requirements and eligibility, speak with one of our knowledgeable loan officers today.
What Is the Minimum Required Credit Score for a VA Loan?
For a VA loan through Griffin Funding, a minimum 580 credit score is typically required. However, in some cases, borrowers may be able to qualify with a 550 credit score.
To learn more about qualifying for a Griffin Funding VA home loan, schedule a discovery call with one of our loan officers.
Benefits of a VA Home Loan
There are many benefits to pursuing a VA home loan as opposed to a traditional mortgage. Primarily, VA home loans:
- Do not require a down payment
- Have lower interest rates than traditional financing
- Are backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Do not need private mortgage insurance
- Have more flexible loan requirements
- Only require limited closing costs
- Have no penalty fee if you pay off your home loan early
- Allow you to sell your home or refinance without restrictions
- Can be used to purchase a home, condo, duplex, and other types of properties
- Allow for the funding fee to be financed with the loan (or sometimes waived completely)
- Are assumable, meaning they can be transferred to a VA-eligible buyer
- Can have a non-spouse family member added for VA joint loans
Since VA home loans do not require monthly mortgage insurance (MI) and offer more favorable terms, they are usually more affordable. As such, borrowers are better able to focus on paying off debt and other financial obligations.
Both the short-term and long-term benefits of VA home loans cannot be understated. From having more available income to afford current expenses, to being able to pay off debt and increase savings over the course of the loan, you are likely to be in a much better financial position if you secure a VA home loan or refinance with Griffin Funding.
What VA Loans Options Does Griffin Funding Offer?
Griffin Funding offers VA home loans for active-duty military personnel and veterans in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Our VA Home Loan Programs include:
- VA Purchase Loan: If you have had trouble qualifying for a traditional mortgage, a VA home loan is an alternative for buying a new home.
- VA Cash-Out Refinance Loan: Replace your current mortgage or a VA loan with a loan that has a lower rate while simultaneously turning equity in your home into cash.
- VA Streamline (IRRRL) Refinance: Refinance your current VA loan with another VA loan that has a lower monthly payment. With an IRRRL, you can also roll closing costs and other fees into the new loan balance.
Our loan officers can direct you to the best loan product for your needs. Our services are tailored to your unique situation to make the application process as simple and stress-free as possible.
How Do You Apply for a VA Home Loan?
The very first step in applying for a VA home loan is securing your COE from the VA. A COE is necessary to prove your VA loan eligibility. While it might sound intimidating, this portion of the process is fairly simple and can often be completed in just a few minutes. You can apply for a COE with your lender, by mail, or online through the eBenefits portal.
While there are a variety of lenders who provide VA home loans, Griffin Funding is dedicated to providing our veterans with unparalleled service and the most favorable terms. And, our application process has been streamlined to be as efficient as possible so you do not miss out on the home of your dreams.
VA Loan Application Process
The application process for a VA home loan includes the following steps:
- A loan officer will review your VA loan eligibility to determine if is the right loan option for you, find the best interest rate based on your credit score, and provide you with a quote along with details about your loan options.
- Once you have your quote, you can lock in your rate based on your terms.
- You can either complete an application on the phone with the loan officer, or you can submit an application online. You will also need to sign the initial disclosures.
- Next, we will request any necessary documentation which you can scan, fax, overnight via mail, or submit on our secure platform. Keep in mind that the faster you are able to return the documents to us, the more quickly we can submit it to underwriting.
- You will need to schedule a VA appraisal that will evaluate the safety, sanitation, and structural integrity of the home. There will also need to be a pest inspection before the loan can be approved.
- Once everything is processed, you will review your final loan documents and then have them notarized with our mobile notary.
You will receive your loan funding for a purchase on the same day. However, refinance funding will require a three-day waiting period.
How Long Does It Take to Get a VA Home Loan?
The standard time for processing home loans in the mortgage industry is about 40 to 50 days. However, at Griffin Funding, we prioritize efficiency. As such, we are often able to qualify our customers for VA loans within 30 days.
If you are purchasing a home, you want to be able to put an offer on the house before another party, so every day that your loan is in progress matters. Unfortunately, in many cases, buyers miss out on their ideal home because the loan process becomes drawn out. However, you can rest assured that the team at Griffin Funding is dedicated to completing your loan as quickly as possible.
Apply for a VA Home Loan Today
Griffin Funding is proud to serve our country’s veterans with favorable VA home loan options and customer-oriented service. We strive to make the loan application process as efficient and enjoyable as possible with streamlined operations, the latest technology, and a common-sense approach to underwriting.
To apply for your VA home loan, speak with a Griffin Funding loan officer today.