VA Blog - VA Mortgage Rates - VA Refinance - VA COE

VA Blog - VA Mortgage Rates - VA Refinance - VA COE - RJ Baxter http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php VA Blog from the VA Home Loan Expert RJ Baxter. Nationwide VA financing. en-us Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:16:34 -0700 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:16:34 -0700 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Disabled Veterans Exempt From VA Funding Fee One of the positives of VA Home Loan financing is that you can borrow up to 100% of the value of your home with no mortgage insurance.  That makes for an excellent payment compared other loan programs.    However, the negative of VA financing is the sometimes-hefty VA Funding Fee.  This can range from 1.5%-3.3% of the loan amount on a VA Purchase depending on down payment amount, type of service, and if VA Eligibility ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1243619456&title=disabled-veterans-exempt-from-va-funding-fee VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1243619456&title=disabled-veterans-exempt-from-va-funding-fee Fri, 29 May 2009 10:50:56 -0700 VA Adjustable Rate Mortgages Going Away VA ARMs are starting to fade into history as banks are doing away with the controversial loan option.  ARM mortgages are partially to blame for the current mortgage crisis as home owner's rates and payment adjusted up and the home owners were unable to refinance into a fixed rate.   An adjustable mortgage is one in which there is an initial fixed period of 1, 3, or 5 years, and then moves into an adjustable ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218570244&title=va-adjustable-rate-mortgages-going-away VA News http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218570244&title=va-adjustable-rate-mortgages-going-away Tue, 26 May 2009 13:57:30 -0700 VA Certificate of Eligibility: Are You Eligible? One of the most common questions we get from veterans is whether or not they are elgible for a VA home loan.  Generally speaking, if you are active duty, reserves, or retired and honorably discharged, you are eligible for VA home loan financing.    If you are still active, you will need a letter from your commanding officer stating that you are serving and are in good standing.  If you are retired, you will ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1242766660&title=va-certificate-of-eligibility--are-you-eligible VA Qualification http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1242766660&title=va-certificate-of-eligibility--are-you-eligible Tue, 19 May 2009 13:57:40 -0700 VA IRRRL Maximum Loan Amount So you have been hearing about the VA Streamline Loan Program also called the VA IRRRL Refinance.  You would like to lower your VA Mortgage Rate and payment, but are concerned about your loan amount.   What is the maximum you can borrow on a VA IRRRL Refinance ?  Can you roll in all of the closing costs?  How much is the VA Funding Fee ?   These are all great questions and the answers are not ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1242060659&title=va-irrrl-maximum-loan-amount VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1242060659&title=va-irrrl-maximum-loan-amount Mon, 11 May 2009 09:50:59 -0700 Seeking Guest Authors VA Home Loan Help is seeking quality guest contributors to this blog.  We are looking for industry experts in VA Mortgage or VA Real Estate-related fields.    If you are accepted as a contributing author, you will receive a prominent listing with backlink to your website on our home page as well as the freedom to create backlinks to your website within your posts.    If you are interested in joining our team, please ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1241709833&title=seeking-guest-authors VA News http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1241709833&title=seeking-guest-authors Thu, 07 May 2009 08:23:53 -0700 VA Streamline Refinances Helping Veterans More and more veterans are taking advantage of the VA IRRRL Refinance , commonly called the VA Streamline Refinance to reduce their payment and take advantage of the Lowest Colorado VA Rates and Lowest Mortgage Rates Nationwide that we have seen in decades.   This great program has few qualifcation requirements- no appraisal, no credit check, no income, and no asset documentation.  You only have to have a verifiable job and have paid your mortgage on ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1241623984&title=va-streamline-refinances-helping-veterans VA Programs http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1241623984&title=va-streamline-refinances-helping-veterans Wed, 06 May 2009 08:33:04 -0700 VA Rates Down Sharply VA rates are down sharply today on the big news of the government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  If you missed out on the refinance oppotunities in the early spring this year, now is the time to start looking into it again.    The VA streamline refinance program (IRRRL) is low-cost and easy to qualify for to help you lower your VA rate! http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1220886293&title=va-rates-down-sharply VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1220886293&title=va-rates-down-sharply Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:04:53 -0700 Should You Buy a Home Now? It's scary out there.   Home values down, gas and food prices skyrocketing, homes sitting on the market forever.  Is this the right time to buy a home or is it better to wait out this terrible economy?   It's tempting to give in to the "blind leading the blind" mentality.  It is true- housing is in terrible shape right now, and few people are buying.  But the fact of the matter is that those ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219768489&title=should-you-buy-a-home-now VA Qualification http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219768489&title=should-you-buy-a-home-now Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:35:31 -0700 VA Nearest Living Relative Form Many VA borrowers ask me about the Nearest Living Relative disclosure.  This disclosure is required by VA as part of your home loan application package in case the VA has to get in touch with the Veteran borrower and he or she has moved.    The disclosure is many times perceived as a strange requirement or a suspicious form becuase there is not standardized format for this disclosure.  The loan officer or mortgage company ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219753455&title=va-nearest-living-relative-form VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219753455&title=va-nearest-living-relative-form Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:24:15 -0700 VA Eligibility- Are you Eligible? I had a prospective borrower ask me today if they would qualify for VA home loan benefits.  Her husband had been in the military for 4 years in the early 90's.  For this borrower, the clear-cut answer was "yes."   But there are various requirements for eligibility for VA home loan benefits.  Reserves or active duty, what war did you serve in if you were deployed?  Were you disabled in combat?  Are you the surviving ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219437789&title=va-eligibility--are-you-eligible VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219437789&title=va-eligibility--are-you-eligible Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:46:12 -0700 VA Live Help Chat Line Do you have VA home loan questions?  Wondering how to qualify for a VA mortgage?  What are current rates?  How do you get your Certificate of Eligibility?  What is the VA funding fee?    Whatever your question is, consider us a resource and utilize out live online help line.  Just click on the icon in the upper-right of this blog to be connected to one of our experienced loan officers.  If we are not ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219320044&title=va-live-help-chat-line VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219320044&title=va-live-help-chat-line Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:00:44 -0700 New $7500 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Congress recently passed a new bill entitled "Hope For Homeowners."  Part of that bill is a new $7500 tax credit for first time homebuyers.    The $7500 is a credit, not a deduction, which means, if eligible, you will receive a check for $7500 as part of your tax refund next year.   So does this tax credit really offer "hope for homeonwers?"  The short answer: maybe.   The tax credit is a good ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219274173&title=new-7500-first-time-homebuyer-tax-credit VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1219274173&title=new-7500-first-time-homebuyer-tax-credit Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:16:13 -0700 VA Cash Out Refinance Restrictions If you are looking to pull cash out of your home based on your equity, hold on a second.   VA limits the loan amount for a cash out refinance to $144,000, regardless of the loan-to-value ratio of your home.  In light of current market conditions with foreclosures on the rise, this is a policy that has helped VA mortgage weather the storm better than other programs as borrowers were not allowed to max out ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218721571&title=va-cash-out-refinance-restrictions VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218721571&title=va-cash-out-refinance-restrictions Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:46:11 -0700 VA Seller Concessions Are you short on cash but want to buy a home?   I have already blogged on 100% VA mortgages , but even with 100% financing, you must still deal with closing costs.  Depending on what state you live in, this could amount to 2-4% of the sales price.  So with a short supply of money for closing costs, what do you do?   There are two ways to finance closing costs:   1.  Gift money.   ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218721057&title=va-seller-concessions VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218721057&title=va-seller-concessions Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:37:37 -0700 VA Funding Fees Summary The VA funding fee is an up-front fee that VA charges to guarantee the mortgage against potential defaults.  Unlike other types of mortgages, VA loans do not have any monthly mortgage insurance premium, hence making for a reasonable monthly payment despite a low down payment.   The amount of the funding fee is determined by the percentage down payment, the number of times the veteran has used their VA home loan benefits, and whether they ... http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218561153&title=va-funding-fees-summary VA Guidelines http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218561153&title=va-funding-fees-summary Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:12:33 -0700 100% VA Financing If you don't have a down payment, don't worry!  VA remains one of the only programs that can help home buyers with no down payment get into a home.   100% VA financing does come with a catch, however.  VA charges an up-front VA funding fee, which insures VA home loan lenders against deliquencies.  The VA funding fee is significantly higher for 100% financing than for VA financing with at least a 5% down payment.  http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218059603&title=100%-va-financing VA News http://www.vahomeloanhelp.org/blog.php?entry_id=1218059603&title=100%-va-financing Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:53:23 -0700