The Blog
How to Purchase a Home While Keeping Your Current Property as a Rental
Selling your current house is not the only way to move. Maybe you have a low mortgage rate you don't want to give up. Perhaps your current home is in an area with strong rental demand. Or you may simply like the idea of keeping the property as a long-term investment...
VA Home Loans and Earnest Money: What Happens to Your Deposit?
You make an offer on a house and include earnest money. A few days later, that money has left your bank account—but you don't own the house yet. So where exactly did it go? For buyers using VA home loans, earnest money works much like it does in other home purchases....
Buying Your First Home on a Corner Lot: Details to Consider
A corner lot can make a great first impression. There may be fewer immediate neighbors, more street frontage, and a yard that feels larger or more open than the properties around it. But that extra street frontage changes a few things about how the property functions....
VA Mortgage Loans for Buyers Purchasing a Home with a Shared Well
You find a house you love, learn that it has well water, and then discover one more detail: the well isn't entirely yours. It serves the house next door too. That arrangement isn't necessarily a problem for buyers using VA mortgage loans. Shared wells are specifically...
Using VA Home Loans to Purchase a Home with a Tax Lien History
A title search may reveal that a home was previously subject to a federal, state, or local tax lien. That discovery can sound alarming, particularly when the buyer is already working through the requirements of VA financing. A past tax lien does not necessarily make...
A First-Time Homeowner’s Guide to Hiring Contractors
One of the stranger adjustments to homeownership is realizing there is no maintenance department to call. When the deck needs repair, the bathroom needs updating, or a mysterious water stain appears on the ceiling, finding someone to handle the work is now your...
Can You Use a Veteran Home Loan While Your Spouse Owns Another House?
Marriage doesn't always mean two people enter a home purchase with identical real estate histories. Your spouse may have bought a house before you married, inherited one, or decided to keep a property from a previous move. If you're now eligible for a veteran home...
What to Know About Property Boundaries When Buying Your First House
The backyard fence looks like the edge of the property. The seller mows up to a certain tree line. The driveway appears to belong entirely to the house. None of those things necessarily prove where the property actually ends. When buying your first house, it is easy...
Using a VA Home Loan for a House with a Finished Attic
A finished attic can make a house much more appealing. It might provide the perfect home office, playroom, guest space, or quiet retreat. But if you're using a VA home loan, you may wonder whether converting an attic into living space could create problems during the...
New Home Buyers FAQ: What Does “As-Is” Really Mean in a Home Listing?
You are scrolling through listings when you find a house that seems suspiciously affordable. Then you spot two little words in the description: “as-is.” For new home buyers, that phrase can sound like a warning that something must be seriously wrong with the property....
How VA Loan Requirements Apply to Recently Paid-Off Debt
You finally make the last payment on a car loan, credit card, or another debt. From your perspective, that bill is gone. But if you apply for a mortgage shortly afterward, your credit report may not have caught up yet. That timing can create an extra step during VA...
How First-Time Home Buyers Can Evaluate a House with an Older Roof
An older roof can make an otherwise great house feel like a risky purchase. You may love the neighborhood, the layout, and the backyard, only to notice that the roof looks like it has seen better days. For first-time homebuyers, it’s important not to automatically...