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How to Buy a Home With a VA Loan

Buying with your VA benefit is one of the strongest advantages you earned through service, and the process is more straightforward than most first-time buyers expect. Here is the whole thing, step by step, from the first budget conversation to the keys.

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  • $0 down on a primary home
  • No monthly mortgage insurance
  • 500 minimum credit score
A military family signing the documents on their first home purchase with a VA loan from PBT Bancorp

The Eight Steps, In Order

Every VA purchase we close follows the same backbone. Move through these in order and nothing about the process will surprise you.

01

Set your budget

Add up your monthly income, expenses, and savings to see what payment fits comfortably, and use our calculators to translate that payment into a price range before you fall for a house.

02

Check your credit

We pull a free credit report for you so you see the scores lenders actually use. Consumer apps often show a different scoring model, which is how buyers end up surprised at application time.

03

Clean up any errors

If the report has mistakes, we help you dispute them with the bureaus, and small corrections can move a score enough to improve your pricing.

04

Pick the right loan

For most eligible Veterans the VA loan wins, with nothing down and no monthly mortgage insurance, but we put it next to FHA and conventional and let the numbers make the case.

05

Gather your documents

W-2s, your last two pay stubs, two years of tax returns, and employer contact information cover most files. We tell you exactly what yours needs, nothing extra.

06

Reach out

Call, text, or email, whatever you prefer, or fill out the short pre-qualification form online and we will reach you on your terms.

07

Get pre-qualified

We confirm what you qualify for and issue a pre-qualification letter, which tells sellers your offer is real and gives your agent something to negotiate with.

08

Close the loan

Once you are under contract we handle your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), the appraisal, and underwriting, and most of our purchases close in two to three weeks.

Why Veterans Take These Steps With PBT Bancorp

PBT Bancorp is an FDIC member bank and a wholesale broker, licensed in all fifty states, with more than 3,000 families closed. Your loan can fund in house or be shopped across more than 35 lenders for sharper pricing, we lend down to a 500 credit score on VA purchases, and one specialist carries your file from the first call to closing. Call 800-697-4371 or start the short form online and step one begins today.

Families Who Bought With Us

Ready for step one?

Call 800-697-4371 or get pre-qualified online, and we will walk the rest of the steps with you.

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