Your Guide to VA Loans: How to Cut Through the Red Tape and Get Your Dream Home Fast »

David Reed (Austin, TX) is a seasoned mortgage banker and a columnist for Realty Times and Mortgage Originator Magazine. He is the author of Mortgages 101 (978-0-8144-7245-3), Who Says You Can’t Buy a Home (978-0-8144-7340-5), and Mortgage Confidential (978-0-8144-7369-6).

In 1944, Congress enacted the GI Bill to thank the men and women who served in the armed forces for their hard work and dedication. One of the most valuable benefits included in the bill was the VA Loan. But bureaucracy and stringent procedures have made applying and qualifying for these loans complicated and unwieldy. Your Guide to VA Loans is the first book to guide veterans through the process. Readers will discover how to determine whether VA loans are right for them, how to apply, and how to deal with common problems that arise. Mortgage expert and author David Reed has more than 30 years of experience helping buyers navigate complicated loan processes. Here he offers advice on topics such as:

• selecting the right VA lender

• finding an agent in a town where there are few veterans

• getting the best interest rate

• refinancing VA loans

• getting advice on VA loans while on active duty

Complete with a guide to regional resource centers, sample loan applications, payment tables and a glossary of terms, this seminal guide will help all veterans fully enjoy the benefits they need and so richly deserve.

Introduction     1
Getting Started     4
Credit and VA Lending     24
The VA Loan Approval Process     46
Finding Your VA Team     68
Getting the Best VA Rate     99
Closing Costs and VA Loans     122
Refinancing, Equity Lending, and Special VA Programs     137
When VA Loans Are Not Your Best Choice     156
VA Regional Loan Centers     169
VA Contact Information     171
Request for Certificate of Eligibility (VA Form 26-1880)     178
Request Pertaining to Military Records (SF 180)     179
Uniform Residential Loan Application     181
Payment Tables     186
Glossary     195
Index     207