VA will guarantee up to 50 percent of a home loan up to $45,000. For loans between $45,000 and $144,000, the minimum guaranty amount is $22,500, with a maximum guarantee, of up to 40 percent of the loan up to $36,000, subject to the amount of entitlement a veteran has available. For loans of more than $144,000 made for the purchase or construction of a home or to purchase a residential unit in a condominium or to refinance an existing VA guaranteed loan for interest rate reduction, the maximum guarantee is 25 percent up to $50,750.

You may generally borrow up to the reasonable value of the property or the purchase price, whichever is less, plus the funding fee, if required. For certain refinancing loans, the maximum loan is limited to 90 percent of the value of the property, plus the funding fee, if required. To determine the reasonable value, VA requires an appraisal of the property.

VA (Veterans Administration) currently insures three types of loan programs.

They are:

• 30 Year Fixed Rate

• 15 Year Fixed Rate

• 2/1 Fixed Rate Buy-Down

Any of these programs may be used for both purchasing real estate or refinancing your existing VA loan.

• To buy a home, including townhouse or condominium unit in a VA-approved project.

• To simultaneously purchase and improve a home.

To improve a home by installing energy-related features such as solar or heating/cooling systems, water heaters, insulation, weather-stripping/ caulking, storm windows/doors or other energy efficient improvements approved by the lender and VA. These features may be added with the purchase of an existing dwelling or by refinancing a home owned and occupied by the veteran. A loan can be increased up to $3,000 based on documented costs or up to $6,000 if the increase in the mortgage payment is offset by the expected reduction in utility costs. A refinancing loan may not exceed 90 percent of the appraised value plus the costs of the improvements. Check with one of our Loan Agents or VA for details.

To refinance an existing home loan up to 90 percent of the VA-established reasonable value or to refinance an existing VA loan to reduce the interest rate.

• NO Appraisal

• NO Credit Underwriting
• NO Qualifying Debt Ratios

• NO Credit Check
• NO Income Verification

• NO Face-to-Face Application

An Interest Rate Reduction Loan or Streamline Refinance allows you to refinance your current mortgage interest rate to a lower rate than you are currently paying. This is only available to veterans who are refinancing their original VA mortgage and utilized their original eligibility.

• No assumptions are allowed.

• VA does not require an appraisal, any income or employment verifications, and no credit report, yet the mortgage must have been paid as agreed for the last twelve (12) months and must be up-to-date at the time of refinancing.

• This loan can be done with “no out of pocket money” by including all costs in the new loan or by making the new loan at an interest rate high enough to enable the lender to pay the costs.

Pre-qualifying gives you a general idea about your borrowing power. If you pre-qualify for a loan, it means that you have told a lender what your income and assets are, and that based on those statements, you should be able to qualify for a given loan.

Keep in mind that pre-qualifying merely gives you an estimate based upon the information you provide. Pre-qualifying can give you an estimate of how much you can afford in a mortgage payment.

Pre-qualifying for a VA mortgage will help answer these questions:

• How much house can you afford?

• How much income do I need to qualify?