VA Loan Myths | 7 Common Mistakes
Because of their complexity relative to other loan programs, VA loans are the subject of plenty of misconceptions.
If you were to take these myths at face value without doing your own research, you might miss out on one of the best mortgage products available.
Here’s the truth to some of the biggest myths surrounding VA loans.
Check your VA home buying eligibility. Start here (Dec 21st, 2024)
7 common VA loan myths
Myth #1: VA loans can only be used once
Because of how useful VA loans can be, some people believe they’re too good to be true. The myth VA loans can only be used once is completely false, but it’s easy to see where this mistaken idea might have come from. If you currently have a VA loan, you are not eligible for a second one.
However, this doesn’t mean you aren’t eligible for a second VA loan ever again.
Once you pay off your current VA loan, you’re eligible to use the program again. There are some small differences after the first time, such as a slightly higher cost at closing. But aside from the small differences, your second VA loan will be similar to the first one that you paid off.
Myth #2: VA members are guaranteed a mortgage
Nobody is guaranteed any type of mortgage, regardless of which mortgage program they’re applying for or whether they’re veterans.
To buy a home with the VA loan program, you must be approved for a mortgage, which means meeting the requirements for the loan program you choose, including credit and debt-to-income requirements.
When a lender says a VA loan is “guaranteed,” they mean the loan is backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA guarantee means veterans and active-duty service members can get a mortgage with no required down payment, competitive mortgage rates, and no mortgage insurance.
You can learn more about what “guaranteed” means here.
Myth #3: VA appraisals are impossible to pass
It is true that VA appraisals can be stricter than an appraisal with other mortgage programs. But that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to pass. Many VA homebuyers don’t have any trouble with the VA appraisal at all.
The VA appraiser is there to assure the VA that the home is in good and livable condition.
If you are applying for a VA loan and want to have a quick, speedy appraisal process, check here for some tips on how to pass the appraisal.
Check your VA mortgage rates. Start here (Dec 21st, 2024)
Myth #4: Today’s home prices require a higher down payment
There’s no denying home prices have increased over the past decade. This has made homes harder to afford for many would-be home buyers, since down payments are usually used to lower the costs of monthly payments. The higher the downpayment, the lower the monthly payments.
Here’s the truth: with a VA loan, you don’t need to make a down payment and you can still afford a house. The key to buying an affordable home isn’t the size of the down payment, but finding a home within your means.
Many VA members purchase a home without a large down payment. In March, the average down payment for a VA loan was just two percent – below the minimum 3.5% required by FHA loans, and much lower than the traditional 20%.
While a larger down payment will lower your monthly costs, you probably don’t need to make a larger downpayment to be eligible for a VA loan.
Myth #5: VA loans take forever
When comparing FHA loans, conventional loans and VA loans, VA loans are typically the slowest program. According to mortgage software giant Ellie Mae’s June 2021 Origination Report, VA loans took an average of 55 days to close.
By comparison, FHA loans took 54 days to close, and conventional loans took an average of 48 days.
So yes, the VA loan process is likely going to take longer to close than another program. However, a difference of 2-3 days is small when you consider how much lower VA rates are.
VA loans are slower than other loan types, but they do not take forever.
Myth #6: Surviving spouses don’t qualify for VA mortgages
Actually, many spouses of veterans can qualify for a VA home loan.
Generally, the spouse must not be remarried and the veteran must have died during service or from service-connected causes. But there are exceptions and other ways a surviving spouse can be eligible.
And, surviving spouses are exempt from paying the VA funding fee. To confirm your eligibility, your VA loan officer will request your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and verify that it has Entitlement Code 06.
Myth #7: All realtors are good VA home loan advisors
There is no VA loan certification for real estate agents. As a result, you shouldn’t look to your real estate agent for reliable information about VA loans. And an underinformed real estate agent can unintentionally push VA-eligible borrowers towards programs that might be less advantageous for them.
Instead, you should get your VA loan facts from a VA specialty lender whose primary product is VA-backed loans.
The VA loan facts are hard to beat
The proliferation of myths about VA loans can obscure the fact this is simply one of the best loan products available to aspiring home buyers.
The VA loan rates available to eligible buyers — combined with the low down payments — are hard to beat with a conventional or FHA loan. But with a little research and a well-informed VA lender, you could be on your way to a VA home loan.
Check your VA home buying eligibility. Start here (Dec 21st, 2024)
