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General Rules for Eligibility

Military Service Requirements for VA Loan Eligibility:

Note:  Applications involving other than honorable discharges will usually require further development by VA.  This is necessary to determine if the service was under other than dishonorable conditions.

Wartime - Service During:

• WWII: 9/16/1940 to 7/25/1947
• Korean: 6/27/1950 to 1/31/1955
• Vietnam: 8/5/1964 to 5/7/1975

You must have at least 90 days on active duty and been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.  If you served less than 90 days, you may be eligible if discharged for a service connected disability.

Peacetime - Service during periods:

• 7/26/1947 to 6/26/1950
• 2/1/1955 to 8/4/1964
• 5/8/1975 to 9/7/1980 (Enlisted)
• 5/8/1975 to 10/16/1981 (Officer)

You must have served at least 181 days of continuous active duty and been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.  If you served less than 181 days, you may be eligible if discharged for a service connected disability.

Service after 9/7/1980 (enlisted) or 10/16/1981 (officer)

If you were separated from service which began after these dates, you must have:

• Completed 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period (at least 181 days) for which you were ordered or called to active duty and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or
• Completed at least 181 days of active duty and been discharged under the specific authority of 10 USC 1173 (Hardship), or 10 USC 1171 (Early Out), or have been determined to have a compensable service-connected disability;
• Been discharged with less than 181 days of service for a service-connected disability.  Individuals may also be eligible if they were released from active duty due to an involuntary reduction in force, certain medical conditions, or, in some instances for the convenience of the Government.

Gulf War - Service during period 8/2/1990 to date yet to be determined

If you served on active duty during the Gulf War, you must have:

• Completed 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period (at least 90 days) for which you were called or ordered to active duty, and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or
• Completed at least 90 days of active duty and been discharged under the specific authority of 10 USC 1173 (Hardship), or 10 USC 1173 (Early Out), or have been determined to have a compensable service-connected disability, or
• Been discharged with less than 90 days of service for a service-connected disability.  Individuals may also be eligible if they were released from active duty due to an involuntary reduction in force, certain medical conditions, or, in some instances, for the convenience of the Government.

Active Duty Service Personnel

If you are now on regular duty (not active duty for training), you are eligible after having served 181 days (90 days during the Gulf War) unless discharged or separated from a previous qualifying period of active duty service.

Selected Reserves or National Guard

If you are not otherwise eligible and you have completed a total of 6 years in the Selected Reserves or National Guard (member of an active unit, attended required weekend drills and 2-week active duty for training) and

• Were discharged with an honorable discharge, or
• Were placed on the retired list, or
• Were transferred to the Standby Reserve or an element of the Ready Reserve other than the Selected Reserve after service characterized as honorable service, or
• Continue to serve in the Selected Reserves

Individuals who completed less than 6 years may be eligible if discharged for a service-connected disability.

You May also be determined eligible if you:

• Are an unremarried spouse of a veteran who died while in service or from a service connected disability, or
• Are a spouse of a serviceperson missing in action or a prisoner of war

Note:  Also, a surviving spouse who remarries on or after attaining age 57, and on or after December 16, 2003, may be eligible for the home loan benefit.  However, a surviving spouse who remarried before December 16, 2003, and on or after attaining age 57, must apply no later than December 15, 2004, to establish home loan eligibility.  VA must deny applications from surviving spouses who remarried before December 6, 2003 that are received after December 15, 2004.

Eligibility may also be established for:

• Certain United States citizens who served in the armed forces of a government allied with the United States in WW II.
• Individuals with service as members in certain organizations, such as Public Health Service officers, cadets at the United States Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard Academy, midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy, officers of National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, merchant seaman with WW II service, and others.

For additional information on VA Home Loans, Call Kevin Tinsley (253) 472-1500 www.alltechmortgage.com

www.FHAHOMELOANSTACOMA.COM

Financing a home with a FHA mortgage in Tacoma can be a challenge if the seller has recently acquired the property.  Due to the large number of foreclosures and short sales, you may come across homes where the owner of the property has only owned the home for a short time.  In this case, if you are planning to finance the purchase with an FHA LOAN, you will have to wait 90 days before you can enter into a purchase and sale agreement to purchase the property. 

Hud has recently made some exemptions to this 90 Day rule.  Below are the exceptions:

* HUD Repo's
* Owned by Federal, State or Local Governments Agencies
* Owned by State of Federally Charted Financial Institutions
* GSE owned Fannie and Freddie Mac
* Inherited Properties
* Employer owned from employee transfers
* Non-Profits on HUD's approved list to purchase REOs at a discount
* Properties in a designated federal disaster area
* Builder selling newly built home
* Foreclosed, or Mortgagee (Lender) "acquired" properties

**Any title change to the property in the proceeding 90 days will trigger the 90 day rule.  Examples:  Seller transfer the property to a LLC, Seller creating a revocable living trust, Seller transferring the property to a living trust, and quit claim deed transfers. 

TIP:  Request a copy of the ownership record, preliminary title, or any other document to show how long the owner has owned the property before making a offer to purchase the property.

If you do have to wait for the 90 day period to expire, keep in mind you may be subject to higher interest rates in the future and may no longer qualify for the home.

For more information on this topic, Call Tacoma's #1 Mortgage Expert - Kevin Tinsley at (253) 472-1500 or visit us on-line at www.alltechmortgage.com or www.fhaloanstacoma.com