How To Buy Property With Farm Loans For Veterans

By David Long


A veteran is someone who has served in a branch of the military over a period of time. As a result, he has the privilege of applying for farm loans for veterans once he has met the requirements. To prove he is eligible for one of these loans, he needs a Certificate of Eligibility (CEO) from the VA.

To qualify for a CEO, a veteran must not have a dishonorable discharge. During wartime he must have served for 90 straight days and during peacetime for 181 straight days. The rules changed after the Vietnam War, and veterans had to serve 24 months consecutively to receive a CEO.

The veteran must find a real estate agent that can show him properties that are available in the area that he is interested in. If he does not know one, he can check for one online. He can also talk to people he knows, and ask them to recommend a trustworthy agent that he can use.

He will need to search for a lender that works with VA farm loans. Since interest rates, closing rates and discount points are set by each lender, it pays to check with different ones before deciding which one to use. Once he selects a lender, he should ask about becoming pre-qualified so he knows how much they will lend him to buy a piece of property.

Now it is time for him to start looking at property that is up for sale in his price range. The real estate agent needs to know specifically what the veteran is looking for so he can keep a lookout for new properties that are being placed on the market. Once the person finds the place he wants to purchase, a purchase and sales agreement that includes a VA option clause needs to be made. This clause basically protects the buyer by stating that if the property costs more than what the VA says it is worth, the buyer has the option to decline it or to pursue it. It also gives him the ability to back out of the deal if the VA decides not to give him a loan.

Once he has have found the place that he wants, it is time to fill out the application for a farm loan from the VA with the help of the lender. The client will need to provide the lending company with bank statements, pay stubs and anything else he has that shows he is capable of paying off the loan. When he has provide everything they requires, he will need to sit back and wait.

During this waiting time, the lender is busy checking all of the paperwork the client provided him. He also seeks an appraisal to see how much the property is worth. When all of this is finished, the lender decides whether or not to grant the loan.

The final step in the purchase of a property is the closing. The lender chooses a title company, a lawyer or a company representative to set the time and date of the closing. If everything is not ready by that date, it is their responsibility to notify the client and reset the time and date. Ownership is transferred to the veteran when the final papers are signed.




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