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When Should You Use Your VA Loan? Signs It’s the Right Move

You earned your VA home loan benefit, and it never expires. That’s exactly why the question of when to use it deserves some thought. Here are the situations where a VA loan may be hard to beat, and the few where another loan might serve you better.

Reviewed by Patriot Home Mortgage compliance, October 2026 · 3 min read

First, who can use it

VA loans are open to more people than many expect: veterans, active-duty service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve who meet the service requirement, and certain surviving spouses. If you’re not sure where you stand, our VA eligibility guide walks through it, and a loan officer can pull your Certificate of Eligibility in minutes.

Signs it’s the right time

You’re buying a home to live in

A VA loan is for your primary residence. If you’re settling somewhere you plan to live, VA may be the first loan to price.

Saving a down payment is holding you back

VA loans don’t require a down payment in most cases, as long as the price isn’t above the appraised value. Instead of spending years saving, you can start building equity now, and keep your savings for moving costs, repairs or an emergency fund.

You’d rather not pay mortgage insurance

Most loans with less than 20% down add monthly mortgage insurance. VA loans don’t, whatever your down payment. Over the years, that can add up to real money.

Your credit isn’t perfect

VA doesn’t set a minimum credit score, and Patriot’s minimum for a VA loan is currently 580 (subject to change). From there, VA looks at the whole picture, including residual income, the money you have left each month after your bills. Borrowers who’ve had setbacks often find VA more workable than they expected.

You’re exempt from the funding fee

Veterans who receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, or who are eligible for it but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, don’t pay the VA funding fee. For them, VA may be the strongest option. Surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and active-duty Purple Heart recipients are exempt too. See VA’s funding fee page for the full list.

You’re a surviving spouse

If you receive or are eligible for VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you may be eligible for a VA loan in your own right. Spouses of service members missing in action or held as prisoners of war can also qualify.

When another loan might fit better

A VA loan isn’t automatically the best choice. Compare options if:

  • You have 20% or more to put down and strong credit. A conventional loan avoids both mortgage insurance and the VA funding fee, so it can cost less if you’re not funding-fee exempt.
  • You’re buying a vacation home or rental. VA loans are for homes you live in. (You can buy a two- to four-unit property with VA if you live in one unit.)
  • You want to save your entitlement. If you expect to buy again soon, for example before a move, keeping your entitlement free can be worth it.
  • The home needs major repairs. VA appraisals check that a home is safe, sound and sanitary. A home with serious problems may need repairs before closing, or a different loan.

The simplest way to decide is to price both. A loan officer can put a VA quote next to a conventional one so you can compare the monthly payment, the cash needed at closing and the total cost over the years you expect to stay.

How to get started

  1. Get your Certificate of Eligibility. Your loan officer can request it for you.
  2. Get pre-approved. It tells you what you can afford and shows sellers you’re ready.
  3. Find the right home. Our guide to choosing a property for your VA loan covers what to look for.

Talk to a Patriot loan officer

Every situation is different, and a short conversation is the quickest way to know what fits yours.

Find a loan officerSee where we lend

This article is general information, not an offer to lend or a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting and property valuation. Belem Servicing LLC, NMLS ID #715386 (NMLS Consumer Access).

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