Zero down, no PMI, competitive rates. If you've served, here's how to use the benefit you've earned.
The VA loan is the best mortgage benefit most veterans never use. No down payment on most purchases, no monthly mortgage insurance, and underwriting that forgives more than a bank will. These guides cover who qualifies, how to use the benefit in a competitive market, and the handful of things that trip VA buyers up in Florida.
Never used the benefit? Start with VA Loans Explained. It covers eligibility, the Certificate of Eligibility, and what this loan does that a conventional loan can't. If you're buying in Florida, read Florida VA Loan Secrets next, then the benefits most Florida veterans don't know they have.
Already own a home with a VA loan? The IRRRL streamline refinance is the one with almost no paperwork, and the VA cash-out refinance is the one that turns equity into cash. Torn between VA and FHA? It comes down to one number. Paid without a W-2? Read the no-tax-return mortgage guide before you assume VA is off the table.
No mortgage insurance, cash at closing, and a funding fee some veterans never have to pay. Also: seasoning rules, a primary-residence requirement, and Florida taxes on the note that catch newcomers off guard.
A refinance with no appraisal and barely any paperwork sounds made up. For Florida veterans with a VA loan, it's a real program with a name nobody can pronounce.
Florida has 1.4 million veterans, and most only use one VA benefit. The others, including assumable loans and funding fee waivers, go untouched.
VA loans have no down payment and no mortgage insurance. So why do some Florida buyers choose FHA anyway? The answer comes down to one number.
No down payment, no PMI, lower rates. VA loans are the most powerful homebuying tool most veterans never fully use.
VA loans are the strongest mortgage benefit available to Florida veterans. Most don't use them to full advantage.
Gig workers, freelancers, and small business owners have mortgage options banks rarely advertise. Here's what actually qualifies.
Veterans, active-duty service members, many members of the Guard and Reserve, and some surviving spouses. The Department of Veterans Affairs sets the service requirements and issues the Certificate of Eligibility that proves them. Your loan officer can usually request the COE for you, so the paperwork is a bad reason to skip the benefit.
No down payment on most purchases. No monthly mortgage insurance, which is the line that makes a VA payment lower than an FHA payment on the same house. In its place there's a one-time funding fee, which can be rolled into the loan and which some veterans with a service-connected disability don't pay at all. Credit guidelines look at the whole file instead of one score.
The VA appraisal checks the home against minimum property requirements, so a house with a tired roof or peeling paint can stall the deal until it's fixed. Condos have to be on the VA's approved list. Some sellers still believe a VA offer is slower or harder to close, which is wrong, but it's a belief your agent and your loan officer have to manage up front. And in Florida, the insurance on the specific home can move your payment more than the rate does. The guides above take each of these apart.
A VA loan doesn't have to take longer than any other loan. Most of our files run in-house through PRMG, which means the underwriter is down the hall instead of in another time zone, and we hold NMLS broker authority for the rare file that fits better elsewhere. If you're under contract with a date to hit, see how fast we move.
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Yes. Your entitlement comes back when the old VA loan is paid off, usually when you sell. You can also have partial entitlement left while you still own a VA-financed home, which sometimes allows a second VA purchase. Your COE shows what's available, and your loan officer reads it with you.
On most purchases, no. A down payment can come into play when the price runs past your available entitlement or when you choose to put money down to lower the funding fee. Either way it's your call, not a requirement of the program.
No monthly mortgage insurance, which is the big difference from FHA and from low-down-payment conventional loans. The VA charges a one-time funding fee instead, which can be financed into the loan, and some veterans with a service-connected disability are exempt from it.
A seller can pick any offer they like, and a few still carry outdated ideas about VA loans being slow or picky. The fix is a clean file, a real pre-approval, and a loan officer who'll pick up the phone when the listing agent calls. That's the part we handle. Start your VA pre-approval and we'll make the offer easy to say yes to.
14 Days To Close is a licensed mortgage broker (NMLS #75243), powered by PRMG. Eligibility for VA home loan benefits is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting review. Nothing on this page is a commitment to lend.
We work with veterans and active-duty buyers across Florida. Let's verify your benefit and find out exactly what you qualify for.
