Are you are a veteran, member of the military or military spouse? You may qualify for a VA loan. VA Loans offer flexible options as either fixed-rate or ARM mortgages. You may qualify for fast approval and a hassle-free loan even with less than perfect credit. Refinance up to 100% of your home or buy a new home with no down payment and never pay monthly insurance!
VA Loan Highlights
- 30-, 20- & 15-year fixed-rate and 5-year ARM loans available
- Jumbo VA loans available
- Refinance up to 100% of your primary home’s value
- VA Streamline Refinance with a reduced funding fee and flexible documentation requirements – available for veterans currently in VA loans
- Buy a home with no money down (primary home)
- No monthly PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance)
- VA loans are governed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
How VA Home Loans Work
- Fixed rate monthly payments are based on interest rate, principal loan amount and amortized interest over 15, 20 or 30 years. Your payment will not change throughout the life of the loan
- ARM interest rates are fixed for a period of 5 years. After the fixed rate period, your interest rate can adjust up or down depending on the market
- Pay your mortgage at any time without prepayment penalties
VA IRRRL
IRRRL stands for Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan. You may see it referred to as a “Streamline” or a “VA to VA.” These loans are typically used to reduce the borrower’s interest rate or to convert an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed rate mortgage.
As you’d expect, IRRLs typically must result in an interest rate reduction. Otherwise, why refinance? However, there is an exception: when refinancing an existing VA guaranteed adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed rate the interest rate may increase.
*No Minimum credit score requirement
Besides that, there are a few other facts anyone considering an IRRRL should know.
- First, no appraisal or credit underwriting package is required by the VA. .
- Second, a certificate of eligibility is not required.
- Further, an IRRRL can be done only if you have already used your eligibility for a VA loan on the same property you intend to refinance. It must be a VA to VA refinance, and it will reuse the entitlement you originally used. You may have used your entitlement by obtaining a VA loan when you bought your house, or by substituting your eligibility for that of the seller, if you assumed the loan.
Another important fact:
- An IRRRL may be done with “no money out of pocket” by including all costs in the new loan or by making the new loan at an interest rate high enough to enable the lender to pay the costs. (Remember: The interest rate on the new loan must be lower than the rate on the old loan unless you refinance an ARM to a fixed rate mortgage) loan.