Start with your VA eligibility and COE
Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) tells a participating lender that VA recognizes your eligibility for the home loan benefit. Eligibility is based on service history, duty status, character of service, or qualifying surviving-spouse rules. A COE does not by itself approve a loan—your lender still reviews credit, income, debts, assets, and the property. Read the VA eligibility & COE guide →
Understand entitlement before you shop
If you have full entitlement, VA does not impose a county loan limit, although the lender still decides what you qualify to borrow. If some entitlement is already tied to another VA loan, remaining entitlement and the applicable county conforming loan limit can affect how much you may be able to finance without a down payment. Use the VA Entitlement Calculator →
Build the preapproval around the full picture
A strong VA preapproval looks beyond a credit score. Lenders review stable income, debts, assets, credit history, residual income, occupancy, and other underwriting factors. VA itself does not set a minimum credit score, but lenders may have their own requirements. See VA credit-score requirements →
Shop for the right home and write a VA-ready offer
Once preapproved, work with an agent who understands VA transactions. The contract should address VA-specific protections such as the escape clause when applicable, and your team should understand appraisal timing, property requirements, seller-paid costs, and the difference between an appraisal and a home inspection.
Know what the VA appraisal does
The VA appraisal estimates value and checks the property against VA minimum property requirements. It is not a substitute for a professional home inspection and is not a guarantee of the home’s condition. Compare the appraisal and inspection →
Use seller credits strategically
VA allows sellers and builders to pay normal closing costs, and those normal costs are treated separately from the 4% seller-concession limit. Certain concessions—such as paying the VA funding fee or certain buyer debts—count toward that 4% bucket. Understand the 4% seller-concession rule →
Review the funding fee and exemptions
The VA funding fee is a one-time fee on many VA-backed loans. The rate depends on loan type, down payment, and whether the benefit has been used before. Certain borrowers are exempt. Calculate your estimated VA funding fee →
Get through underwriting and closing
Your lender verifies the final loan file, reviews the appraisal, clears underwriting conditions, and issues the final closing documents. Your Closing Disclosure generally arrives at least 3 business days before closing. Use the step-by-step VA homebuyer checklist →
Official sources
VA rules and lender guidelines can change. These pages are reviewed against official VA resources and should be used as education—not as a substitute for a lender’s review of your specific file.