The Veteran Thread

[Goofy]

Originally Posted by Little Fish

Hey Vets--

Has anyone here used the VA Home Loan program?

I'm wanting to buy a house but this program doesn't seem to be used widely in my area...or so I've been told. (and I'm suspect of this agent so...)

Did it work for you?
Which Lender did you use?
Which lender would you stay away from?
Lessons learned?

Also, do you use USAA insurance for anything?

All comments welcome, thanks!

(I still have a case of MREs--the shelf life is scary.)

Hey Little Fish, I got my current mortgage with the VA home loan, and I did it through USAA.

I've had USAA insurance on my car for about 10-12 years now. I've haven't had an accident or other reason to use it, but setting it up was an easy process. The folks there have always been nice and very helpful whenever I call. Their website is easy to use and you can make changes or updates on just about everything.

I love USAA, so it just seemed natural to go with them when I decided to buy my house. I called them and asked a TON of questions and they walked me through the entire process. They have a program called MoversAdvantage that hooked me up with a realtor in the area. She was super nice and extremely helpful throughout the process. She still sends me "happy move-in day" cards lol. I got pre-approved through USAA and, once the offer on my house was accepted, was able to view the status online. It was a nerve-wracking experience (it was my first house, which scared the hell out of me), but my agent and the folks at USAA were fantastic. I also have my homeowners insurance through them and they walked me through that process as well.

I don't know if my experience was easier using USAA because it does cater to military folks, but I'm assuming it was. I'm sure the process would be similar with other military affiliated banks/credit unions.

If your agent is telling you that the VA program isn't used in that area...I call bullshit! It shouldn't matter where the house is, as long as it can pass the inspection. Like Theo said, the inspectors are notoriously fickle, but I'd rather have a thorough inspection on an investment of that magnitude than a crappy one.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.