How do VA home loans work?

SPC (Join to see) The first step would be to establish VA eligibility and obtain a VA "Certificate of Eligibility." While there are some exceptions, general guidelines require at least 2 years of active duty or 6 years of reserve component service.

Easiest thing to do, in my opinion, is to find a local bank which will do VA loans and apply with them. Their loan officer can walk you through the steps of what paperwork you will need to build your packet. I do not recommend going through a mortgage lender clearing house (usually a stand alone mortgage company), as my experience indicates they will push you into too much loan and are miserable to work with, and then will sell your loan as soon as they are done with closing. The local bank may sell it, but they may also keep it in house. It doesn't hurt to ask the loan rep what they do after closing. I far rather have it local where I can go talk to the rep in person if there is an issue rather than dealing with some kid in a cubicle 500 miles (or worse yet, 5000 miles) away. I'm not a fan of national banks, and not a fan of mortgage companies. Both are impersonal and hard to work with if there is an issue. Keep it local.