$0 DOWN.
NO PMI.
YOUR HOME.
You served. Now use the benefit you earned. See exactly what your VA loan qualifies you for — including BAH-based qualification and entitlement breakdown — in under 2 minutes.
2 minutes • No credit impact • No obligation
THE BENEFIT YOU EARNED.
USED THE RIGHT WAY.
VA loans aren't just about zero down. They're the most powerful purchase tool in mortgage lending — when handled by a lender who knows the system. Here's what your service unlocks.
ZERO DOWN PAYMENT
100% financing on your primary residence up to your county loan limit. No saving for years — buy now using the benefit your service earned.
NO PMI. EVER.
Conventional buyers pay $200-$400/month in PMI until they hit 20% equity. VA borrowers skip it entirely. That's a real monthly savings starting day one.
LOWER RATES
VA loans typically come in 0.25-0.50% below conventional. Backed by the government, priced for the people who served. Lower rate = lower payment.
BAH COUNTS
Your Basic Allowance for Housing qualifies as effective income. We know exactly how to document it and use it to maximize what you can afford on military pay.
REUSABLE BENEFIT
PCS to a new duty station? Your VA entitlement can be restored or used a second time. We'll calculate your remaining entitlement and your options for the next move.
FLEXIBLE CREDIT
VA guidelines are more forgiving than conventional. Lower credit scores qualify. Past challenges don't disqualify you. We look at the full picture, not just a number.
SHANT BANOSIAN
PRESIDENT, RATE • NMLS# 7206
For two decades I've built a career on one principle: when someone trusts me with the biggest financial decision of their life, I owe them my absolute best. That's how you close 40,000+ loans and fund $10 billion. That's why I've been Rate's #1 Loan Officer for 9 years running and the #1 Loan Officer nationwide for 6 years straight.
For active-duty and veteran borrowers, that means I personally understand BAH qualification, COE processing, entitlement restoration, and the unique timing pressures of PCS moves. You served. My team and I make sure your benefit actually delivers.
HOW VA LOANS
ACTUALLY WORK
YOUR VA BENEFIT EXPLAINED IN 3 MINUTES
Shant Banosian · Rate
FROM PRE-QUAL
TO KEYS.
4 STEPS.
No mystery. No surprise paperwork dropped at the closing table. Here's exactly what happens, from the moment you check eligibility to the day you get your keys.
CHECK ELIGIBILITY
2-minute form. No credit pull. We confirm your VA entitlement and give you a preliminary loan amount based on your income, BAH, and service.
GET YOUR COE
We pull your Certificate of Eligibility directly through the VA portal — usually same day for active-duty. You don't lift a finger; we handle the paperwork.
PRE-APPROVAL
Full underwriter pre-approval letter in hand. Now you can shop with confidence and write offers that sellers take seriously — especially in competitive markets.
CLOSE & MOVE IN
VA appraisal ordered. Underwriting clears. We close on your timeline — coordinating around drill weekends, deployment dates, or PCS reporting orders.
SEE YOUR EXACT
MONTHLY PAYMENT
Run real numbers using current VA rates. Factor in BAH, funding fee, and entitlement to see what your payment looks like at different price points.
REAL VETERANS.
REAL CLOSINGS.
REAL RESULTS.
4.9/5 AVERAGE
2,400+ verified reviews
"I was deployed when we started the process. Shant's team worked around my schedule — power of attorney, time zone differences, all of it. We closed on our first home in Norfolk three days after I landed. Zero down. Real benefit."
MARCUS T.
USN E-5 • NORFOLK, VA
"Two other lenders told my wife and me we didn't qualify because we hadn't been at our duty station long enough. Shant's team used BAH plus my base pay correctly and got us pre-approved in five days. We bought a house we love."
JAMES & KAYLA R.
USAF E-4 • FORT BLISS, TX
"Got PCS orders mid-contract. Most lenders would have backed out. Shant pushed the underwriter, rushed the VA appraisal, and we closed two weeks early so we could move before my report date. He gets military life."
DAVID L.
USA O-3 • FORT LIBERTY, NC
THE NUMBERS
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
LOAN OFFICER NATIONWIDE
6 YEARS RUNNING
LICENSED #7206
FEDERALLY REGULATED
FAMILIES SERVED
OVER 20 YEARS
IN FUNDED LOANS
CAREER TOTAL
CHECK YOUR
VA ELIGIBILITY
IN 2 MINUTES.
Tell us about your service, income, and the home you want. We'll send back a preliminary VA approval amount and your estimated monthly payment — usually same day.
No credit pull. No score impact.
No obligation to move forward.
Secure. Encrypted. Private.
Same-day response from a licensed specialist.
VA LOAN
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED.
Can I qualify for a VA loan while still on active duty?
Yes. Active-duty service members typically qualify after 90 continuous days of active service during wartime, or 181 days during peacetime. Many first-time military buyers qualify well before separation. We pull your Certificate of Eligibility directly through the VA portal — usually same day for active-duty borrowers.
Does my BAH count as qualifying income?
Absolutely. Your Basic Allowance for Housing is fully qualifying income on a VA loan, and because it's tax-free we can often "gross it up" — meaning it counts for even more than its face value. We document it correctly using your LES, and most active-duty borrowers find they qualify for significantly more home than they expected once BAH is factored in.
What is the VA funding fee and can it be waived?
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge that funds the VA loan program. For first-time use with zero down, it's 2.15% of the loan amount for regular military. It can be rolled into the loan — you don't pay it out of pocket. It's waived entirely for veterans receiving VA disability compensation, surviving spouses, and Purple Heart recipients. We confirm your funding fee status before pre-approval so there are no surprises.
What if I get PCS orders during the loan process?
PCS happens. If orders come down mid-process, we adapt — accelerating closing if possible, using power of attorney for absent borrowers, and coordinating with your relocation timeline. We've closed loans with borrowers deployed, in transit, and at receiving commands. The key is bringing us in early so we have time to flex.
Can I use my VA loan more than once?
Yes. Your VA loan benefit is reusable. When you sell a home financed with a VA loan and pay off the mortgage, your full entitlement is restored. You can also use remaining entitlement to purchase a second home — common when PCS orders move you to a new duty station. We calculate your remaining entitlement and walk you through the options.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan?
The VA itself sets no minimum credit score, but most lenders look for 580–620 as a starting point. We work with active-duty borrowers across a wide credit range and can often qualify scores other lenders turn away. If your score needs work, we'll give you a specific, no-nonsense roadmap to get loan-ready — not a generic brush-off.
How fast can you close a VA purchase?
Our average VA purchase closes in 21–28 days from accepted offer. When timelines are tight — relocation, lease expiring, motivated seller — we've closed in as few as 14 days. The biggest factor is starting pre-approval before you write offers so we're not racing the clock with documentation on day one.
BUILT ON A RECORD
THAT SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS.
Two decades funding loans for the people who serve. The proof isn't in the pitch — it's in the production.
In career loan volume closed for homeowners across all 50 states.
Top-producing loan officer in America multiple years running per Scotsman Guide.
From accepted offer to keys in hand on standard VA purchases.
Required for qualified active-duty buyers using their VA entitlement.
STILL ON THE FENCE?
RUN THE NUMBERS IN 60 SECONDS.
No credit pull. No paperwork. Just a real preliminary number from a real specialist — same day. See what your service has earned you.
Takes under 60 seconds. Active-duty priority response.
OR CALL DIRECT: (617) 827-6674 →