VA & Military Buyers
Use your VA benefit for everything it's worth.
Zero down, no mortgage insurance, limited closing costs — and a process built around PCS orders instead of ignoring them.
The basics
How a VA loan actually works
Eligibility & COE
Active duty, veterans, many Guard and Reserve members, and some surviving spouses. Your Certificate of Eligibility proves it — I'll help you pull it.
Funding fee
One-time fee, normally financed into the loan, and waived entirely if you receive compensation for a service-connected disability.
Appraisal & condition
The VA checks value and minimum property requirements. I screen for red flags before your offer, not after.
Entitlement reuse
You can use the benefit more than once, and often keep a former VA-financed home as a rental while buying again.
Seller expectations
Some listing agents still push back on VA offers. Preparation and a lender who will pick up the phone fix that.
PCS timing
We build the timeline backwards from your report date so you're not paying for two places at once.
Tools
Check eligibility, then check the payment
VA eligibility checker
Five questions. This is a quick read on whether it's worth pulling your COE — not an official determination.
Did you serve on active duty, or are you serving now?
Are you a National Guard or Reserve member with 6+ years of service, or 90+ days of active duty?
Are you the surviving spouse of a service member who died in service or from a service-connected disability?
Was your discharge other than dishonorable (if separated)?
Do you already have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE)?
VA loan payment calculator
No mortgage insurance on a VA loan. The one-time funding fee is normally rolled into the loan.
Funding fee (2.15%)
$11,288
Loan amount
$536,288
Estimated payment
$3,868
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance.
Estimate only. Confirm your funding fee and rate with a VA-approved lender.
Free guide
VA Home Buying Guide
Eligibility, funding fee math, appraisal requirements, offer strategy in a competitive market, and the mistakes I see VA buyers make most.
Free guide
PCS Relocation Guide
A 90-day timeline for buying around orders: what to do at 90, 60, 30 and 10 days out, plus how to handle a house-hunting trip you only get one shot at.
FAQ
VA loan questions, answered plainly
How does a VA loan work in California?
A VA loan is a mortgage from a regular lender that the Department of Veterans Affairs partially guarantees. In California that means zero down payment on most purchases, no monthly mortgage insurance, competitive rates, and limits on what closing costs you can be charged. You pay a one-time funding fee, usually rolled into the loan, unless you're exempt because of a service-connected disability. The home also has to pass a VA appraisal covering both value and basic condition.
What is the VA loan limit in San Bernardino County?
If you have full VA entitlement there is no loan limit — the VA does not cap the amount, your lender's approval does. County limits only matter if part of your entitlement is tied up, for example if you already have an active VA loan on another home. Confirm your exact entitlement with a VA-approved lender.
Can I use a VA loan to buy a rental property?
Not directly — VA loans are for a primary residence. But you can buy a 2-to-4 unit property with a VA loan if you live in one unit, and you can rent out a former VA-financed home after you move, then potentially use remaining entitlement on the next purchase. That's one of the most underused wealth-building plays available to service members.
How much is the VA funding fee?
For a first-time use purchase with no down payment it's typically 2.15% of the loan amount, dropping to 1.5% with 5% down and 1.25% with 10% down. Subsequent use with no down payment is typically 3.3%. Veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability are generally exempt. Confirm your figure with your lender.
What is a VA appraisal and can it kill my deal?
The VA appraisal sets value and checks minimum property requirements — things like a sound roof, working systems, no exposed wiring, safe water and no peeling paint on older homes. Deals do fall apart on it, which is why I screen condition before you write an offer instead of after.
I'm PCSing to the Inland Empire. How early should I start?
Sixty to ninety days out is ideal. That leaves time to get fully underwritten, tour on a house-hunting trip or virtually, and close near your report date without paying for temporary housing. If you're closer than that, call me anyway — it's still doable, it just gets tighter.