Confused about VA loans? Find out what veterans should know?
Fans of late-night TV will recall the infomercials of a few years ago, hawking zero-down loans. Those loans, along with loans requiring no documentation, were being handed out like candy to anyone who applied, and were largely blamed for the mortgage industry implosion. In the wake of that mess, mortgage lenders tightened standards. Lenders began demanding that homebuyers needed some skin in the game - a healthy down payment - to make them think twice about defaulting on the loan. Zero-down loans became a memory. Today, you have three choices if you're seeking a mortgage without a down payment: Navy Federal Credit Union, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (with no-down loans for very low-income borrowers who agree to live in rural areas), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). "The VA loan is the best m...