{"id":5321,"date":"2019-03-14T20:23:36","date_gmt":"2019-03-14T20:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:08:15","slug":"5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Current and former service members are in many ways the ideal loan recipients, mortgage experts say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe know the veteran for the most part is someone who\u2019s going to be reliable, disciplined and has the ethos of, \u2018I have an obligation and I\u2019m going to take care of it,\u2019\u201d said Tom Lynch, executive chairman of the mortgage company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newdayusa.com\/\" target=_blank>NewDay USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That sentiment should boost the confidence of any troops or veterans looking for the best mortgage options for buying their first homes. As should the benefits of VA loans, which offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerfinance.gov\/about-us\/newsroom\/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-releases-report-first-time-homebuying-servicemembers\/\" target=\"_blank\">recent report <\/a>from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau indicated that active-duty troops and veterans buying their first homes are forgoing conventional real-estate loans and other government-funded mortgage options in favor of VA loans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that in mind, here are a few tips from experts for troops and veterans looking to buy their first homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Take advantage of VA loans<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fact more people are using VA loans isn\u2019t a fluke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For one, the VA provides 100 percent loans that eliminate the need for down payments. Most conventional loans require a down payment and usually only cover 80 or 85 percent of the home\u2019s total value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike loans received through the Federal Housing Administration, VA loans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benefits.va.gov\/homeloans\/purchaseco_loan_fee.asp\" target=_blank>don\u2019t require<\/a> a monthly mortgage insurance payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, veterans who receive monthly disability benefits <a href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/money\/home-ownership\/disabled-vets-can-expect-additional-benefits-from-their-va-loans.html\" target=_blank>don\u2019t have to pay<\/a> the VA\u2019s funding fee, which can run from 0.5 to 3.3 percent of an overall loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lynch said that the usage rates of VA loans will probably continue to increase as more home-buyers discover all the upsides of going with a VA loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is rising,\u201d he said. &#8220;It\u2019s a combo of people understanding the benefit of the VA loan \u2026 and it\u2019s also symptomatic of the rising real-estate values around the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Know the VA loan process<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Home-buyers must meet a few requirements in order to qualify for a VA loan, as the<a href=\"https:\/\/explore.va.gov\/home-loans-and-housing\" target=_blank> VA\u2019s website<\/a> details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with other loan types, you must have strong credit and enough income to afford the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for VA loans, you need to apply for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/housing-assistance\/home-loans\/how-to-apply\/\" target=\"_blank\">VA Home Loan Certificate of Eligibility<\/a>. The process has different rules depending on your military status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After establishing your eligibility, the next step involves making sure you have all your necessary military service documentation handy. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/records\/get-military-service-records\/\" target=_blank>most important form<\/a> for this process is the DD214, a Department of Defense document issued whenever a service member separates from the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VA\u2019s website also mentions that anyone applying for a VA loan needs \u201ccertification that you will occupy the home.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have all your documentation ready, you can go to lenders like USAA and NewDay USA who work directly with the VA to get the right loan for your situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Do your homework<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lynch encouraged new home-buyers to make sure they understand all the fees that will be involved in their VA loans and \u2014 arguably more importantly \u2014 that their realtor does as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf your realtor doesn\u2019t understand VA loans, get to a realtor who has done VA loans before,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ed Robinson, senior vice president and head of real-estate lending at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usaa.com\/\" target=_blank>USAA<\/a>, advised first-time home-buyers to know the basics, like what kind of loan they want, their credit scores and as much about the borrowing process as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe process can seem extremely daunting to someone, because if you think about the vast majority of lending that\u2019s available, it\u2019s very short-term in nature,\u201d he said. \u201cUnderstand all the things you\u2019re going to have to have handy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lynch also made it clear that the ultimate goal is to put as little money into a new home as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPut a minimal amount of money down,\u201d he said. \u201cYou try to keep money in the bank so you\u2019re not cash-poor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Shop around<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A VA loan is a great option for first-time home-buyers, but it\u2019s certainly not the only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think they should look at a few options,&#8221; Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also take out a loan through the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which includes secondary mortgage-loan lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are also conventional real estate loans and other government-funded loans available through agencies like the Federal Housing Administration and United States Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s also worth remembering that chances are you will be working with lenders who will be your middlemen for obtaining loans through any of these sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Believe in yourself<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If veterans are unsure how to go about buying their first homes, there is no shame in asking for help, Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get \u201cthe counseling that\u2019s on the marketplace so the service member knows how to get the best rate possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, Robinson added, there are resources out there like VA loans designed to make the home-buying process easier for troops and veterans alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt does make sense, especially for first-time home-buyers, to be able to maximize that opportunity and reduce that upfront out-of-pocket,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":21,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,7,16,26,21,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3123],"class_list":["post-5321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home-hq","category-news","category-newsletters","category-veterans","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"NS2XLOORCNBABNM3U3XVAOBHJM","arc_canonical_url":"\/transition-tips\/transition\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Air Force TImes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joshua Axelrod\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joshua Axelrod\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 856,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home HQ\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Veterans\",\n\t                \"Your Air Force\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes - Air Force TImes\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/14\\\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Veterans\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/veterans\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"veterans\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Air Force TImes\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Independent News For Airmen | Air Force Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Air Force TImes\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/air-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/air-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Air Force TImes\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes - Air Force TImes","description":"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes","og_description":"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","og_site_name":"Air Force TImes","article_published_time":"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00","author":"Joshua Axelrod","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joshua Axelrod","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes","datePublished":"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/"},"wordCount":856,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Home HQ","News","Newsletters","Veterans","Your Air Force"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/","name":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes - Air Force TImes","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2019-03-14T20:23:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-07T20:08:15+00:00","description":"VA loans offer generous terms to veterans that civilians can\u2019t get.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/14\/5-tips-for-troops-and-vets-buying-their-first-homes\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Veterans","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/","ad_zone":"veterans"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"5 tips for troops and vets buying their first homes"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/","name":"Air Force TImes","description":"Independent News For Airmen | Air Force Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#organization","name":"Air Force TImes","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/air-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/air-logo-white.png","caption":"Air Force TImes"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP_05111103300.jpg.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Air Force TImes","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5321"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5330,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321\/revisions\/5330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5321"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=5321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}