This is a collaborative post.
Are you considering a VA home loan in 2022? Several benefits might help persuade you! A VA loan makes it easier to become a homeowner since there’s no high down payment.
However, there’s more to consider than just that! You’ll have access to lower interest rates, no closing costs, and more. Keep reading to learn more about the six benefits of getting a VA home loan in 2022. Here’s what you need to know!
1. There’s No Down Payment
The most significant advantage to the VA home loan is that you often won’t need to have a down payment. This benefit allows you to buy a home without spending years saving. To put it in perspective, the average down payment is 12% of the loan across all age groups.
If you wanted to buy a house that’s $180,000, you’d need to have a down payment of at least $21,600! Coming up with a lump sum like that is extremely difficult for most people. However, with a VA home loan, you pay 0%.
Overall, this is the most appealing factor to many people! You can skip the down payment and still get the house you want.
2. Lower Interest Rates
Next, a majority of VA home loans have lower interest rates. These rates stay fixed, too, so Veterans don’t have to spend as much money on their housing. Most VA interest rates are about 0.5% to 1% under other interest rates.
There are many reasons you want to get low-interest rates on your home loan. You’ll spend less throughout your loan since it won’t gather as much interest. Lower interest rates make the home loan much more manageable for many people.
Although these can be difficult to find, a reasonable interest rate is anything between 3% to 4%. Most VA loan rates will be about 5% or under, so you’ll want to consider them!
3. Lower Credit Score Requirements
Credit score requirements can get in the way of people obtaining home loans. However, VA lenders don’t require set credit scores. People with very high and low scores all qualify for the same loans through this program.
If a VA lender wants to see your credit score, they want to assess your risk, but they’ll typically require scores that are much lower than other home loans.
So, if you don’t have the best credit score, you can still get a home loan with lower interest rates! For many people, it’s easier to qualify for a good home loan through the program. Most other lenders want to see a credit score of 620 or higher, but that can be too high for many.
Overall, having access to outstanding loans without a high credit score requirement is a huge benefit! Your home loans will take many years to pay back, so you’ll want to make sure you get the best possible one for your credit score: the lower the requirement, the better it is for you.
4. Possibility To Refinance
VA refinancing is also a possibility. As a VA loan holder, you can use a cash-out refinance to remove your home’s equity and receive money for it. Many people use this method to pay off their debts or remodel their homes. Plus, if you need to change lenders, refinancing allows you to do that easily.
This option is still available to anyone who happens to have a VA loan! You can use a cash-out refinance if you need to borrow a large sum of money with a low-interest rate. For many Veterans, it’s the cheapest and easiest way to borrow large amounts of money.
Overall, if you might have to refinance in the future, you can still do so with one of these loans. Many people with a VA home loan appreciate knowing they can refinance in the event of an emergency or drastic life change.
5. Less Foreclosure Risk
When buying a new home, foreclosure becomes a risk. VA loans tend to be some of the safest ones, so you’ll want to consider them first. The VA ensures that Veterans stay in their homes, helping mitigate a lot of the risk if you can’t make payments.
The servicer does everything they can to help you avoid foreclosure. The group offers mortgage counseling and assistance when the economy isn’t doing well. VA loans have the lowest foreclosure rate available, making them highly safe!
If you end up facing foreclosure with a VA loan, you’ll want to reach out to the group as soon as you can. They’ll often do everything to ensure that you can stay in your home!
This benefit comes as a relief to many people because the future can be uncertain. With this loan, you’ll get more peace of mind since you know it’s unlikely your home will ever go through foreclosure.
6. Limited Closing Cost Expenses
Next, when you sign up for a mortgage, you’ll have to deal with tons of fees. One that can be problematic with typical home loans is the closing costs. These fees can get very expensive fast!
However, VA home loans have limits on what they can charge you during the closing phase. You might not even have to pay closing costs when you go through them! This benefit helps make homes much more affordable for Veterans.
Overall, you’ll want to choose the most affordable options for your home loan. The VA home loan is the best in that regard! You’re sure to appreciate not having to cover any additional fees.
Find Out What You Qualify For
You should find out what you qualify for today if you’re interested! You can quickly start your home loan quote online to see what you can get. This step should be the first you take towards your VA home loan and homeownership.
To summarize, VA home loans come with several benefits that you’ll want to take advantage of this year. If you need more funds later, you can refinance after building up equity in the home.