Each loan product has its unique benefits and qualifications. If you have ever served in our country's armed forces, a loan from the Veterans Administration may be your best option.

Who Qualifies for a VA Loan?

The VA Loan originated as part of the GI Bill of Rights, passed in 1944 and signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The intention of the law was to provide a series of benefits to returning servicemen and women, including education and home loan benefits. Today the VA Loan benefit is available for servicemen and women who meet the following criteria:

• Served on active duty with a discharge other than dishonorable.
• Have a minimum of 90 days of wartime service or a minimum of 181 days of peacetime service served continuously.
• If enlisted in service after September 7, 1980 or an officer enlisted after October 16, 1981, the service member must have completed two years of service.
• National Guard members are eligible after six years of service.
• Homes must be purchased for the personal occupancy of the service member; they may not be purchased for investment, business, or rental purposes.

In some cases, the surviving spouses of the military service member are eligible for VA Loan benefits, but the dependent or non-dependent children are not. Borrowers are also subject to credit and income requirements to be eligible for a loan.

Why Choose a VA Loan?

For those eligible, why should a homebuyer choose a VA Loan over the other mortgage products that are widely available? The GI Bill of Rights is credited with spurring economic growth after World War II and today, more than 25 million men and women are eligible. While the Veterans Administration doesn't make loans directly to borrowers, the Administration sets guidelines for lenders who participate in the program and guarantee a portion of each loan against default. For borrowers, the advantages include:

• In most cases, borrowers are not required to have a down payment on the home purchase.
• Borrowers will be free from monthly mortgage insurance payments that protect the lender against default, since a portion of the loan is guaranteed by the VA.
• Lower closing costs than comparable loans.
• Lower average interest rates than other loan products.

Just as with other loan products, the homebuyer is responsible for ensuring that the home purchased is sound in structure, a good investment, and free from major defects. The VA is not responsible for the loan, not the condition of the property or its potential appreciation or depreciation.

Eligible for a VA Loan: Where Do You Start?

If you believe you qualify for a VA Loan, let your real estate agent know right away. The process of obtaining a VA loan requires some steps that are outside of the normal mortgage process. Some can be completed even before you settle on a home to purchase such as obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA directly. You can begin the process online at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. From there, an eligible veteran can work with his or her realtor to find a participating lender and begin the mortgage process.