VA loan for a modular home approval may be easier than many think. Understanding the key factors help you on the VA home loan process.

VA Entitlement

Borrowers must, first and foremost, be eligible for VA loans for modular home. This means they must have satisfied the service requirements and have enough “entitlement” available to be considered for a VA loan. Entitlement is a word used to refer to the amount the VA will guarantee for a particular veteran borrower.

Modular Home Property Eligibility

The lender’s handbook states that VA modular home loan benefits are to be used mainly for owner-occupied properties. The VA lists single-family homes, VA-approved condos, townhouses and multi-family modular homes as properties generally eligible for VA financing. The VA also guarantees the financing of modular homes if they are attached to a permanent foundation; but not all lenders offer VA loans for modular homes.

Length of Occupancy

By law, VA borrowers must occupy the homes they finance. VA borrowers must verify that they will occupy their homes within a reasonable time. For most, this means within 60 days after closing. Borrowers who are deployed away from home may receive an extension of up to 12 months. A spouse is the only relative that can satisfy the occupancy requirement in a VA-eligible borrower’s stead.

Income & Credit

VA-eligible borrowers must qualify for the loans they obtain. Veterans must have steady and ample income and satisfactory credit. Lenders are given some flexibility to decide whether a borrower is a safe credit risk within VA guidelines. VA-approved lenders may set their own credit score minimums. The VA recommends borrowers have no more than 41% debt-to-income ratio and at least enough residual income to cover typical living expenses.

In case you still have questions about modular homes, you may contact Legendary Homes Inc in Jackson, Michigan. A representative will be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, you can check our modular home price sheets by signing up to our blog.

Topic: Modular Home Financing

There are a number of frequently asked questions that concern the VA loan. Legendary Homes Inc of southern Michigan gives you some of these questions with their corresponding answers;

How much is the guaranty?

Veterans Affairs will guarantee up to 50 percent of a VA loan up to $45,000. For loans between $45,000 and $144,000, the minimum guaranty amount is $22,500, with a maximum guaranty, of up to 40 percent of the loan up to $36,000, subject to the amount of entitlement a veteran has available. For loans of more than $144,000 made for the purchase or construction of a home or to purchase a residential unit in a condominium or to refinance an existing VA-guaranteed loan for interest rate reduction, the maximum guaranty is the lesser of 25%. This figure will change yearly.

Is $36,000 the biggest loan a veteran can get?

No. You may generally borrow up to the reasonable value of the property or the purchase price, whichever is less, plus the funding fee, if required. For certain refinancing loans, the maximum loan is limited to 90 percent of the value of the property, plus the funding fee, if required.

What is the maximum VA loan?

There is no maximum VA loan, except that the loan cannot exceed the lesser of the appraised value or purchase price, plus VA funding fee and energy efficient improvements, if applicable. However, lenders usually won’t make a no-downpayment loan larger than $417,000 ($625,500 in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands) due to secondary market limitations.

Must the VA loan be repaid?

Yes. A VA guaranteed loan is not a gift. It must be repaid, just as you must repay any money you borrow. The VA guaranty, which protects the lender against loss, encourages the lender to make a loan with terms favorable to the veteran.

Does VA make any loan directly to eligible veterans?

Yes, but only to Native Americans on trust land or to supplement a grant to get a specially adapted home for certain eligible veterans who have a permanent and total service-connected disability(ies).

How are VA loans processed?

There are two ways a lender may process VA home loans: “prior approval” or “automatic.” When the loan is processed on a prior approval basis, the lender takes your application, requests VA to appraise the property, and verifies your income and credit record. All this information is put together in a loan package and sent to VA for review. If VA approves the loan, a commitment by VA to guarantee the loan is sent to the lender. The lender then closes the loan and sends a report of the closing to VA. If the loan complies with VA requirements, VA issues the lender a certificate of guaranty.

In automatic processing, the lender still orders an appraisal from VA, but has the authority to make the credit decision on the loan without VA’s approval. The biggest difference between prior approval and automatic processing is the time saved by avoiding the need to await VA’s approval before loan closing.

In case you still have questions about modular homes, you may contact Legendary Homes Inc in Jackson, Michigan. A representative will be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, you can check our modular home price sheets by signing up to our blog.

Topic: Modular Home Financing, VA Loan