For veteran and military buyers
Buy the house without the down payment.
Most veterans who think they cannot afford to buy have simply never had anyone run the actual numbers. Zero down changes the math completely — and so does knowing what you truly qualify for before you start looking.
See what you qualify for
60 seconds · No credit pull
- $0down payment with full entitlement
- $0monthly mortgage insurance, ever
- No capon loan amount with full entitlement
- 4 statesAZ · CA · FL · TX
Pre-qualified is not pre-approved, and sellers know the difference
A pre-qualification is a lender saying "based on what you told me, probably." It takes four minutes and it is worth about that much. An underwritten pre-approval means a human underwriter has reviewed your income, assets and credit and issued an approval subject to a property. Those are not the same document and they do not win the same offers.
In a market where a listing agent has six offers on the counter, the one backed by real underwriting and a lender who answers the phone is the one that gets called first. I do the work up front because that is where it changes the outcome.
What the VA loan gets you as a buyer
- No down payment with full entitlement — and no VA loan limit either.
- No monthly mortgage insurance, which is typically a few hundred dollars a month you keep.
- Competitive rates, generally at or below conventional for comparable credit.
- Limits on what you can be charged — VA restricts certain closing costs outright.
- Seller concessions allowed, so a well-negotiated deal can require very little cash.
- Assumable — a future buyer may be able to take over your rate, which becomes a real selling advantage when rates rise.
- No prepayment penalty, ever.
- Up to four units, as long as you live in one.
What we need from you
Less than you fear. Two years of employment history, recent pay stubs, two years of W-2s or tax returns, two months of bank statements, and your DD-214 or Statement of Service. If you are already receiving VA compensation, your award letter. I pull the Certificate of Eligibility for you — that is not something you have to chase down yourself.
PCS-ing? Say so on the form. PCS purchases run on a different clock: we front-load documentation, set up a power of attorney early, and plan for the possibility that you will be unreachable at exactly the wrong moment. It is routine when it is planned and painful when it is not.
Ten minutes now saves you from falling in love with a house you cannot write a strong offer on.
Start my pre-approvalStraight answers
Buying with a VA loan
How much house can I afford with a VA loan?
More than most veterans assume, because there is no down payment, no mortgage insurance, and BAH counts as qualifying income. The real constraint is your debt-to-income ratio and residual income — a VA-specific test that looks at what you have left over each month after obligations.
What is residual income and why does VA care?
VA requires a minimum amount of income left after your mortgage, debts, taxes and estimated utilities — the amount varies by family size and region. It is the reason VA loans historically perform well, and it occasionally helps borrowers qualify who would fail a conventional DTI test.
Can I ask the seller to pay my closing costs?
Yes. VA allows seller concessions, and there are also costs VA does not allow you to pay at all — which means a well-structured VA purchase can get you into a home with very little cash out of pocket.
What is the VA appraisal and how is it different?
A VA-assigned appraiser establishes value and confirms the property meets Minimum Property Requirements — safe, structurally sound and sanitary. Roof life, working systems, no exposed wiring, and peeling paint on pre-1978 homes are the usual flags. We anticipate them rather than discover them.
What if the appraisal comes in low?
VA purchase contracts include an amendatory clause letting you walk without losing your earnest money if the value comes in below the contract price. You can also negotiate, request a Reconsideration of Value, or bring the difference in cash. You have options and you are not trapped.
Can I buy a fixer-upper?
Within limits. A standard VA loan needs a habitable property, so a true gut rehab is not a fit. Cosmetic work is fine. VA renovation options exist but are limited — I will tell you honestly whether a given property works.
Talk to a person
Get underwritten before you shop
Tell me where you are looking and what you are working with. I will come back with a real number and a plan — no credit pull to start.
- No cost, no obligation — and no credit pull to start the conversation.
- Zero down on a VA purchase with full entitlement, and no monthly mortgage insurance.
- Licensed in AZ, CA, FL & TX — one lender across your sale and your purchase.
- Straight answers. If a VA loan is the wrong tool for your situation, I will say so.
Would rather just talk?
(480) 203-6263
Stop Cryin', Call Ryan