Category: credit score

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR KENTUCKY VA MORTGAGE LOANS

KENTUCKY VA MORTGAGE LOANS


Kentucky VA Mortgage Lender
502-905-3708
What Does Having Basic Entitlement of $36,000 Mean?
The $36,000 does not represent the maximum loan amount you can obtain through the VA Home Loan Program. The figure merely provides evidence to your lender that you have full VA entitlement.
With this entitlement and underwriter approval, you can obtain a loan,
I Now Have My COE, What Do I Do Next?
 Contact any VA approved lender and start the loan process. Do note that the COE does not guarantee you a VA loan; you still must qualify based upon your income and credit.
 
How Do I Apply For a Loan?
VA does not do any direct lending, and as such VA does not accept loan applications from veterans. You must contact a VA approved lender in order to apply for a VA loan. For more information about VA loans, visit www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/.
 
 
What is the VA Interest Rate?
VA does not establish interest rates or closing costs for VA loans. Rates are negotiable between you and your lender. It is advisable to obtain quotes from at least three different lenders.
What is the Minimum Credit Score Required for a VA loan?
VA has no minimum credit score requirement. However, the lender you choose to do business with may have such a requirement.
 
What Types of Property Does My COE Cover?
The VA Home Loan program guarantees loans for real property that is to be used by the veteran as a primary residence. The program does not cover vacation homes, vacant land, multiplexes in excess of four units, motor-homes, small business loans, or commercial buildings.
 
Can I Use My VA Entitlement to Refinance?
Yes. You can refinance any type of loan on your property using your VA entitlement.
 
 
Why Does My COE Reflect a Paid-in-Full Loan With No Restoration of Entitlement?
In order for entitlement to be restored, the prior VA loan must be paid in full and the property disposed of. If you no longer own the property, please state as such on your application form 26- 1880 and resubmit. Do note that you can obtain a restoration of entitlement without disposing of the property when the loan is paid in full on a one time basis
Joel Lobb
Senior  Loan Officer
(NMLS#57916)
text or call my phone: (502) 905-3708
The view and opinions stated on this website belong solely to the authors, and are intended for informational purposes only. The posted information does not guarantee approval, nor does it comprise full underwriting guidelines. This does not represent being part of a government agency. The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the view of my employer. Not all products or services mentioned on this site may fit all people. NMLS ID# 57916, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Mortgage loans only offered in Kentucky.
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I have originated over 125 Kentucky VA Mortgage loans in my career. As a former Army Tanker, put my experience to work for you. I offer free VA Home loan approvals & local service. I hope you find this website informative and hope it can give you more confidence as you shop for your next Kentucky VA loan. I can be reached locally in Louisville Kentucky Text/call 502-905-3708 NMLS 57916 Equal Housing Lender. Not affiliated with VA or any other government agency

 
 

 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Kentucky VA Mortgage Loans

Kentucky VA Mortgage  Loans


Kentucky VA Mortgage  Loans

Why VA Loans?
First and foremost, VA loans put homeownership within reach of a wider population.
That’s because, while they’re issued and administered through a wide range of lending institutions, all VA mortgages are federally guaranteed.
Lenders consider them lower risk than other loans. That means that people with average or even below-average credit scores are more likely to be approved for a VA loan than a traditional loan.
If you have a high debt-to-income ratio or you’ve fallen behind on your credit card payments in the past, you may be eligible for a VA loan, even if you’ve been turned down for a private mortgage in the past.
What’s more, vets and active-duty soldiers can often purchase a loan with no down payment.
Military wages aren’t the most generous. In 2020, new service members earned as little as $19,000 per year, while the median salary in the US is nearly $50,000 per year.
Particularly for people who are just starting out in their military careers, it can be tough to amass enough savings to match the down payment requirements associated with traditional loans.
If you take out a private loan and put down less than 20% of your home purchase price, you’ll be required to pay for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) until you’ve established 20% equity in your home. That can add $100 or more to your monthly homeownership expenses.
The government stipulates that VA loan borrowers don’t have to take out PMI.
Finally, VA loan interest rates typically track below market averages. Again, that’s because lenders consider them less risky.
What can that mean in savings for you?
Here’s just one example. A 0.5% interest rate reduction on a $200,000 30-year mortgage can save you more than $19,000 in lifetime loan costs.
And that’s before you factor in PMI payments. The more you borrow, the more you benefit from a low interest rate.
The median purchase price of a US home in 2021 is over $400,000. So chances are, you could wind up saving more with a VA loan.

Kentucky VA Mortgage Guidelines for 2021

VA Loan Limits in Kentucky for 2020


How can I get a VA Mortgage loan in Kentucky in 2021?

Kentucky veterans and active duty service members are eligible. However, all veterans, active duty service members and National Guard members must meet certain requirements.

see below requirements for Kentucky VA Mortgage Loans:

  • Served 90 consecutive days during wartime
  • Served 181 days during peacetime
  • Have more than six years of service with the National Guard or Reserves

Also, Kentucky VA loans are available to the surviving spouses of military members who died in the line of duty.

How does a Kentucky VA Home Mortgage Loan Work?

The Veterans Administration guarantees the loan, but they do not make it.. VA sets forth the guidelines as far as credit, income, assets, property requirements and inspections, but the lenders use this to make a lending decision. Usually the credit, income and assets, i.e. bank statements, pay stubs and tax returns, along with credit report and credit score to get a pre-approval upfront. The appraisal report is done by VA assigned appraiser in the area and neither the lender, borrower, realtors, sellers, have no control as far as choosing the Kentucky VA appraiser. VA will typically give the VA approved appraiser 10 days to make contact, and usually get the appraisal report back within 7-10 days after inspections.

How much can I borrow with a Kentucky Mortgage VA loan?

There is no max income limit for VA loans beginning in 2021. 

VA Loan Limits in Kentucky for 2021

VA does not set a cap on how much you can borrow to finance your home. However, there are limits on the amount of liability VA can assume, which usually affects the amount of money an institution will lend you. The loan limits are the amount a qualified Veteran with full entitlement may be able to borrow without making a down-payment. These loan limits vary by county, since the value of a house depends in part on its location.

The basic entitlement available to each eligible Veteran is $36,000. Lenders will generally loan up to 4 times a Veteran’s available entitlement without a down payment, provided the Veteran is income and credit qualified and the property appraises for the asking price.

VA county loan limit:

For all non-IRRRL VA loans, effective with loans closed on or after January 1, 2021,  we are aligning with FHFA’s increase to the county loan limits. VA does not have a maximum loan amount, but instead uses the county loan limit to determine the maximum potential entitlement available for veterans with used or compromised entitlements.

Complete details of Kentucky VA’s county loan limits can be found at
https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-limits/.

As a reminder, we require  that all Kentucky VA loans conform to GNMA secondary market guidelines which include the minimum 25% coverage requirement.

What is the credit score or fico score required for a Kentucky VA Mortgage loan?

VA has issued guidelines that calls for no minimum credit score. However, most VA Kentucky  lenders will want to see a credit score of at least 620 before approving the mortgage. There are two lenders we work with currently that will do down to a 500 credit score, but it is very difficult to get them approved . The best thing to do is let someone pull your credit and see where you are at and go from there. A lot of lenders you will see will want a 620 credit score, with a few going down to 580. Again, this will vary greatly from lender to lender and be based upon our automated underwriting findings (AUS) from Desktop Underwriting.

Do VA Loans Require a Down payment.

Kentucky VA home buyers do not require a down payment. It does not matter if you have a 500 credit score or 780 credit score, all VA loans offer a no down payment option to applicants. The only reason you would need a down payment is if you had to qualify for the home loan payment, or if  you were borrowing with a co-applicant, that is not married to the borrower. For example, if a veteran is legally married, and his wife is not a veteran, that is fine with VA and you would not need a down payment, However, let’s say the borrower and his friend or girlfriend wanted to buy a house together, and we needed the co-borrowers income and credit to make it work, then you would need to put down 12% on the home loan since the borrower and co-borrower are not legally married.

Mortgage insurance on A VA loan?

One of the great benefits of VA loans is that have no monthly mortgage insurance premium. When you compare this to FHA, USDA mortgage loans in Kentucky, you would need to pay monthly mortgage insurance.

There is an upfront funding fee from VA , but if you are disabled, you can get this waived sometimes. See chart below

Kentucky VA Funding Fee Information

In order for VA to guarantee the home loan, there is a closing cost assessed by the VA to originate the loan called a funding fee. This fee will vary, depending upon the type of Kentucky  VA loan, whether this is your first time to use your entitlement, if you are a disabled veteran, the down payment and if you served active duty or in the National Guard/Reserves.

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How long does it take to close a VA Mortgage loan in Kentucky?

There’s no set-in-stone time limit for how long the Kentucky VA loan process takes, but on average, you should be able to get it done within 30 days depending on the appraisal report and home inspections

VA mortgage loans is the only Government sponsored mortgage that requires a termite inspection., so keep that in mind on your inspections when you are having them done after the accepted contract.

Can I only use a VA loan once in Kentucky?

This is a common myth with many VA eligible home buyers and homeowners. If you’re eligible for the VA loan, then you’re eligible for your entire life. Plenty of home buyers end up using the VA loan more than once, mostly because it’s arguably the best loan program out there.

Can I get a Kentucky VA Mortgage loan with a previous Bankruptcy or Foreclosure?

 VA
  • If the applicant has finished making all payments satisfactorily, the lender may conclude that the applicant has reestablished satisfactory credit
  • If the applicant is still in the repayment period, as long as 12 months’ worth of satisfactory payments have been made and the trustee or Bankruptcy Judge approves of the new credit, the lender may give favorable consideration.
VA
  • 2 years from discharge date
  • Manual underwrites allowed
  •  If the bankruptcy was discharged within 1 to 2 years, it is probably not possible to determine that the applicant is a satisfactory credit risk unless both of the following requirements are met
  1. The applicant has obtained credit subsequent to the bankruptcy and has made satisfactory payments over a continued period of time, and
  2. The bankruptcy was caused by circumstances beyond the control of the applicant such as unemployment, prolonged strikes, medical bills not covered by insurance and the circumstances are verified.   Divorce is not viewed as a circumstance beyond the applicants control
 
American Mortgage Solutions, Inc.
10602 Timberwood Circle Suite 3
Louisville, KY 40223
Company ID #1364 | MB73346
 


Text/call 502-905-3708
kentuckyloan@gmail.com

http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
If you are an individual with disabilities who needs accommodation, or you are having difficulty using our website to apply for a loan, please contact us at 502-905-3708.
Disclaimer: No statement on this site is a commitment to make a loan. Loans are subject to borrower qualifications, including income, property evaluation, sufficient equity in the home to meet Loan-to-Value requirements, and final credit approval. Approvals are subject to underwriting guidelines, interest rates, and program guidelines and are subject to change without notice based on applicant’s eligibility and market conditions. Refinancing an existing loan may result in total finance charges being higher over the life of a loan. Reduction in payments may reflect a longer loan term. Terms of any loan may be subject to payment of points and fees by the applicant  Equal Opportunity Lender. NMLS#57916http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
— Some products and services may not be available in all states. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. The content in this marketing advertisement has not been approved, reviewed, sponsored or endorsed by any department or government agency. Rates are subject to change and are subject to borrower(s) qualification.