Buying an Orange County, CA Home with a VA Loan in 2022

February 16, 2022 by

Buying a home in Orange County is super competitive in 2022 no matter what type of financing a home buyer is using for the purchase. But for those Veterans using a VA loan in Orange County to purchase a home, they will find the competition to be extra challenging. What is it that makes it more difficult to use the VA loan to buy a home versus other types of home loans?

Why are Sellers are Afraid of the VA Loan Program?

I've been closing VA loans in Orange County, CA for over 30 years. When I first got in mortgage lending the VA loan program was not widely used, since only Veterans, Active Military, and surviving spouses (in some circumstances) have access to the program. But because of how the market was in 1990, it wasn't that difficult to get an offer accepted for a Veteran using the VA loan to buy their home. Still, it was generally accepted and expected that the seller would pay for most of the Veterans closing costs and that their may be repairs required by the VA appraiser (or termite inspection) that would need to be completed prior to the closing of the loan. Back in the 90's, before the internet took hold, it took longer to close a VA loan. Retrieving the Certificate of Eligibility was hard work. More than once I personally drove from Orange County to the downtown Los Angeles VA office to file paperwork at "the window" and get the paper COE for a client. Although compliance wasn't as difficult then as it is now, VA loans just took longer to close than other types of loans. Another important restriction that got in the way of the VA loan program was the loan limit for $0 down financing.  

That was then and this is now. That VA loan limit thing made it very hard for a Veteran to buy a home in Orange County prior to 2008. In 2005 the median home price in Orange County was $719,619. The VA loan limit was was $359,650. Needless to say, there were a few years there where the VA loan program barely existed in Orange County because of high home prices. Veterans were bypassing the VA loan program altogether and instead using risky "80-20" programs, along with anyone else who wanted to buy a home with $0 down payment. After the mortgage meltdown in 2006, changes were made and the VA loan limits were dramatically increased. By 2009 the VA loan limit for $0 down financing in Orange County was $737,500. The median home price in Orange County had dropped to $544,300. This made the VA loan program more popular than ever, at least in Orange County.

VA Loan Limits removed in 2020

2020 was a huge year for the VA loan program. There were now no restrictive loan limits for 100% financing using the VA loan program. In Orange County, where the Median home price reached $950,000 in 2020, being able to buy a home with no down payment, even if the price were $1,500,000 or more, meant the VA loan program was again the best financing option for nearly any Veteran buying a home. But as the market heated up, it became more difficult to get an offer accepted from a Veteran using the VA loan. There are several reasons for this, but the most typical goes back to old, commonly held, beliefs about the difficulty in closing a VA loan. Below are a few common "myths" about the VA loan program.

  • Seller has to pay the Veterans closing costs. This is not true. Back in the day (like in 1990) it was very common for sellers to pay the VA buyers closing costs, but it wasn't mandatory. The rules for "non-allowable" costs eased and became more clear in later years. While a lender does need to be cognizant of certain fees, it's important to understand the 1% rule. Basically, fees that VA considers "non-allowable" need to be less than 1% of the loan balance. The biggest fees included in the 1% calculation include the escrow fee, notary, and lender Origination fees. Fees that are not included are Title, appraisal, recording, and discount points. The escrow fee tends to be the biggest "non-allowable" fee. The formula most escrow companies use to determine their fee does not result in anything near 1% of the loan amount, unless the purchase price is under $150,000. But that doesn't happen in Orange County, so we will rarely if ever need to worry about hitting the 1% cap. 
  • Seller has to pay repairs. This is not true. VA is just like any other type of financing when it comes to paying for repairs. While VA does require a clear termite report, it does not require the seller pay for the repairs. In a competitive real estate market, a Veteran can choose to pay for repairs. It's all negotiable. 
  • VA Appraisers are conservative.  Not true. VA appraisers are also Conventional loan appraisers. The valuation process is the same for a VA appraisal as it is for any other type of appraisal.
  • Veterans have no "skin in the game" making their offer less likely to close. This is definitely not true. The VA loan program has for years had the lowest default rate of any other loan program. And why should a seller be concerned about the percentage of down payment when they will get their money whether it comes from a VA loan or someone paying cash. If the Veteran is working with a local Orange County VA Lender and has gotten a Fully Underwritten VA Approval, their offer is as solid, if not more solid, than any other offer.
  • VA Loans take longer to close. I'll say this is not true, but there are loan officers and lenders who don't close many VA loans, which can make the processing of a VA loan challenging. For an Orange County Loan officer who specializes in VA loans, the VA program can be the easiest loan program to close. And fast. VA is more flexible than other programs when it comes to credit, debt to income ratios, and of course down payment. There are less hurdles to closing a VA loan than any other type of Conventional financing. Any lender who tells you different is not a VA specialist.


The Challenge of Buying a Home with a VA Loan in a Super Hot Sellers Market

Buying an Orange County home in 2022 is a challenge no matter what type of loan you are using. Sellers are getting anywhere from 5 to 50 offers on their homes in the first week on the market. Many times the winning bids are those who are willing to pay more than the potential appraised value, which can quickly rule out any buyers with less than 10% down. This does make it extra challenging if a VA borrower is planning on $0 down financing. So how does a Veteran in Orange County compete?

How Veterans can make a Competitive Offer in Orange County?

There are strategies that will help make a VA offer more competitive than other offers. For most of 2021 and into 2022 we have been in an extreme "sellers market" due to a big imbalance between the supply of homes available for potential home buyers and the number of buyers who want to own a home. Here is what you need to do to compete with other buyers who may be less prepared.

  • Get Fully Approved BEFORE you make an offer. This is very important. Do not wait until you've already found a home to get PreApproved. And if a lender gives you a "PreApproval" without reviewing your documentation then just know that you are NOT PreApproved. And if a lender gives you a PreApproval without verifying income or assets and having an underwriter sign off on the approval, then you are not actually PreApproved. To make sure you are fully PreApproved, you will want to go with a lender who will send your loan into an underwriter. Not many lenders will do this. Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp does a full approval, which is known as the Fairway Advantage. If you have a fully underwritten Fairway Advantage approval then you will be in position to remove the loan contingency immediately.
  • Offer a shortened inspection contingency. Buyers will use the inspection as a way to back out of a transactions. If you are serious about wanting a home then offer a short inspection time period. Get the inspections done in the first few days of escrow.
  • If possible, offer at least a partial appraisal waiver. While someone who has a large down payment may be able to waive the appraisal contingency, even someone with a minimal down payment or no down payment can potentially set a "floor" for the appraised value. For example, let's say the offer price is $710,000 but the potential appraised value is $700,000. Maybe even lower. If the Veteran has $10,000 available then they could adjust their offer to allow for an appraisal as low as $700,000 even though their purchase price will be $710,000. If the appraisal comes in at $690,000 then the buyer still has an "out" since it was not a full appraisal waiver. This is also known as an appraisal gap strategy.
  • Allow the seller to "rent back" for free up to 60 days after closing. This can put your offer at the top of the pile. The seller is going to be a buyer on their next home and will be dealing with the same hot market that you are dealing with. They may not have a new home lined up yet. By offering a seller "rent back" for free or a minimal dollar amount it will allow the seller to make non-contingent offers and potentially close very fast on their next purchase. I've had several VA clients who have used this strategy to get their offer accepted. The maximum time period for a rent back is 60 days since that is the time period allowed before the buyer has to move into the home to meet the "owner occupancy" requirement for a VA loan. This is true of any Conventional loan where the home is a Primary residence.

Buy your Home Before Values go Higher in 2022

Property values are expected to increase in 2022 by between 5% and 9% depending on who you are listening to. This means that a home valued at $700,000 today will be valued at $735,000 - $763,000 in 12 months, Why wait? Find out what the numbers look like for your potential purchase using the VA loan program. Have us prepare a VA Purchase Analysis based on what you qualify for, what your payment comfort level is, and what fit's in your budget.

Authored by Tim Storm, a California Mortgage Loan Officer MLO 223456 – Please contact my office at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. Direct line is 949-829-1846. Authored by Tim Storm, a California Mortgage Loan Officer MLO 223456 – Please contact my office at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. Direct line is 949-829-1846. www.OrangeCountyVALoans.com

Filed Under: VA Purchase Loans Tagged With: , ,

Why is it Difficult to Find VA Approved Condos in Orange County?

February 3, 2020 by
va approved condo for sale

Why is it difficult to find VA approved condos in Orange County, CA? There are plenty of Veterans in Orange County who want to take advantage of the VA loan program, especially now that there are no more loan limits for ZERO Down VA financing. But trying to narrow down the search for those condos that are VA approved, meaning they are eligible for VA financing, is no easy feat.

First, it's important to understand the difference between a condo and a Single Family Detached home. In Orange County it is not always as easy as just looking at the property and knowing if it is a condo or an SFR. Most people assume that all condos are attached properties on at least one wall, tend to be smaller homes, and have a monthly Home Owners Association (HOA) payment. And they also assume an SFR (Single Family Residence) will be a detached property, larger home, and not have an HOA payment. But this is not always the case.

Condos that Look Like SFR's

While some condos look like a stereotypical condo, some do not. Many times, especially in the last 10 to 20 years, builders have developed and built detached home projects that are legally condos in an effort to achieve more "density" in the project, meaning, build more homes on the parcel of land. The homes are detached. They look and feel like a Single Family Detached home, or even a Planned Unit Development (PUD), but legally they are a condo.

Orange County VA Approved Condos

Single Family Homes that Look Like Condos

And then there are the home projects that look like condos but are legally SFR's.  These properties are attached and have HOA dues. Typically they are older projects. You'll run into these in all areas of Orange County.

Full Proof Way to Know if a Property is a Condo

There is a full proof way to know if a property is a condo. Check out the Assessors Parcel Number, or APN. In Orange County, if the APN begins with a "9", then the property is a condo. A lender or real estate agent will be able to look up the APN number, but as a consumer you can typically find it in the property listing information. For example, Redfin.com lists the APN number in the "Public Facts" section of the property page. Zillow shows it in the "Other" section lumped together with about 50 "other" details. A little harder to find. Realtor.com shows the APN in the "Other Property info" section. 

While many of the listing sites may identify a property as a "condo" or a "SFR", there are times when the information is incorrect. The agent entering the information didn't realize the significant difference in financing possibilities based on the legal property type, so knowing the rule of "9" is important. And if the APN does not begin with a 9 then your are good to go with your VA loan. But if there is a 9 and the property is a condo, then you will need to narrow down your search a little bit more, because to get a VA loan on a condo, the condo project needs to be VA approved.So how do you figure out which condos are VA approved and which are not?

Finding VA Approved Condos

If you are a Veteran looking to buy a condo using the VA loan program, then you are not going to want to waste your time looking at condos that are not VA approved. You can find a real estate agent who can help with your search. Or, you can go straight to a website built specifically for finding Orange County VA approved condos. There are two websites in Orange County, CA that will drastically narrow down the search for VA approved condos, saving lots of time, energy, and frustration. 

www.OrangeCountyVeteransHomes.com

www.OrangeCountyVeteransHomes.com has links for just about every city in Orange County. Just click on the link for the city you are interested in and "bam", you are presented with a list of VA approved condos for sale. They are listed in order of purchase price. Any Veteran who has spent any amount of time looking at condos only to find that a property they fell in love with is not VA approved will appreciate the this website. And while it is still important to have a local Orange County VA Loan Officer who is familiar with Orange County VA approved condos double check a properties eligibility before you make an offer, just knowing you are not wasting your time looking at condos that are not VA approved is a big time saver.

Fully Underwritten PreApproval

The first step in any home search should always be a consultation with a lender. For those using the VA loan program, working with a local, Direct VA Lender who is purely focused on the VA loan program and also knows the in's and out's of VA condo lending can help make the whole home buying process a smooth process. Your VA lender should be available to answer your questions and should be quick to present your loan options in an easy to understand way. And most importantly, it can be critical to understand the difference between being "Prequalified", "PreApproved", and Fully Underwritten and PreApproved. If your lender issued your PreApproval letter 1 hour after running your credit and getting a "DU", then you probably do not have an "underwritten" VA PreApproval. VA loans fall apart all the time when the Veteran thought they were PreApproved. Unless an actual Direct Endorsed VA Underwriter has reviewed your loan package, then you are still at risk of having a rocky loan process once your offer is accepted. The best recommendation that can be given to a Veteran early in the home search process is to get your VA loan fully underwritten and approved. This not only will give you peace of mind, but will also make any offer you make solid gold to the seller. A fully underwritten and PreApproved offer is as good as a cash offer and will make it easy to close very quickly. 

Authored by Tim Storm, an Orange County, CA Loan Officer specializing in VA Loans. MLO 223456. – Please contact my office at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation NMLS #2289. My direct line is 714-478-3049. I will prepare custom VA loan scenarios that will be matched up to your financial goals, both long and short-term. I also prepare a Video Explanation of your scenarios so that you are able to fully understand the numbers BEFORE you have started the loan process.

Filed Under: VA Purchase Loans Tagged With: ,

How to Buy a Condo in Orange County with a VA Loan

November 20, 2019 by

Are you looking to buy a Condo in Orange County, CA with a VA loan? There are things you need to know before starting the condo search that will help speed up the search process and relieve the potential frustration of finding out the condo you fell in love with is not eligible for a VA loan. The most important thing to know right out of the gate is that if you are using VA financing to purchase a condo, the condo project needs to be VA approved. And while it is possible to get a condo project VA approved after you have identified the condo you want to buy, it will be far easier to just limit your property search to only those condos that are in a VA approved condo project. But how do you do that?

Two Ways to Search for VA approved Condos

There are two common methods used by Veterans and their real estate agents in searching for a VA approved condo. The most common method is to just look at ALL condos for sale and narrow down the search to the condos the Veteran is most interested in buying. Typically the search will be based on price range, bedrooms, bathrooms, size, location, etc. After filtering through 100’s of properties, anywhere from 3 to 30 properties may be identified as potential condos to buy. Then comes the frustrating part. Looking up each condo to see if it is eligible for VA financing. Since most condos in Orange County, CA are not VA approved, finding out that most of the homes are not even eligible for a VA loan is not only frustrating but a huge waste of time.

The far easier method is to only look at condos that are located within VA approved condo projects. And this is where it makes sense to work with real estate professionals who are familiar with the VA loan program and understand how to limit the search to only those properties eligible for a VA loan. The real estate agent can search the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) based on a narrowed down search of legal “Tract” numbers. The resulting properties are then forwarded to the Veteran, saving a ton of time (and frustration).

Another option for Veterans who want to do some searching on their own is to use a local VA Condo search website specific to Orange County.  www.OrangeCountyVeteransHomes.com has done most of the legwork for you. There is a link for each city within Orange County. Simply click on the link and Bam, it’s done.  For example, let’s say you are looking for VA approved condos in Irvine. By clicking on the Irvine link, a list of VA approved condos in Irvine will appear. As of today (Nov 19, 2020), there are 49 VA approved condos for sale with prices as low as $305,000 and as high as $1,030,000. A quick search for VA approved condos in Huntington Beach shows there are currently 20 properties for sale with prices ranging from $279,000 up to $800,000.

It is important to have an experienced Orange County VA loan specialist double-check the VA website to make sure the condo project is verified as approved because sometimes a condo project can run into financial issues or a lawsuit that can jeopardize their approval.

Buy VA Condo with $0 Down with No Limit in 2020

In 2020 VA will do away with loan limits for 100% financing. In the past, a Veteran would buy a home with ZERO down payment but only up to the county limit. In Orange County in 2019 the 100% financing loan limit was (is) $726,525. It was possible to buy a property and get a VA loan above that limit, but only with a down payment. Now, as a result of the “Blue Water Navy Veterans Act”, loan limits have been eliminated. This means that those high priced condos in Irvine and Huntington Beach, along with other upper-end areas of Orange County, a Veteran can buy with No Down payment.

First Step in the Home Buying Process –VA Loan PreApproval

The first step in every home buying process should always be PreApproval. The last thing you want is to spend time finding the right property and then not be ready to make an offer. Most sellers will not accept an offer from a potential buyer who hasn’t talked to a lender yet and have a PreApproval letter in hand. With VA, it is important to work with a lender who specializes in VA. It is a unique program and working with a local Orange County Loan Officer who specializes in the VA loan program will help to make the overall process seamless. The VA Loan Officer will be able to pull the VA Certificate of Eligibility (you always want to make sure eligibility is clear before an offer is accepted), along with providing a Side by Side VA Total Cost Analysis (VA TCA). The VA TCA will give the Orange County Veteran a thorough breakdown of the numbers, making it easy to compare different options and price ranges.

Authored by Tim Storm, an Orange County, CA Loan Officer specializing in VA Loans. MLO 223456. – Please contact my office at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. My direct line is 714-478-3049. I will prepare custom VA loan scenarios that will be matched up to your financial goals, both long and short-term. I also prepare a Video Explanation of your scenarios so that you are able to fully understand the numbers BEFORE you have started the loan process

Filed Under: VA Purchase Loans Tagged With: , ,

Can a VA Loan PreApproval be done in 5 Minutes over the phone?

June 9, 2014 by

orange county va loan preapprovalVA loan PreApproval should not be confused with a verbal “Prequalification” over the phone. The most important and first step in the home buying process is to find out the price of the home you can afford. Ultimately the price will be determined by a combination of things, including how much money will be needed for the home purchase, the borrowers credit score, income (as shown on the tax returns), debts, and the Veterans payment comfort level. And while a 5 minute call to a lender is a good start, an actual PreApproval will take more than a brief phone call.

There are some mortgage websites that allow the borrower to print out their own PreApproval letter based on information they enter into an online form. The letter is available without a loan officer or underwriter reviewing any documentation.  This is scary, because in today’s underwriting environment there are hundreds of potential issues that can arise during the loan process. Things that someone outside of the mortgage industry may not even think is an issue could be a deal killer if not dealt with prior to having an accepted offer to purchase a home.

VA loan PreApproval can be a fairly quick process depending on whether there are complications with the loan. Below are a few things that could cause serious headaches for the home buyer if they were to come up after an offer is accepted.

  • Depositing cash into an account to be used for closing costs. While depositing cash may sound like it’s not so bad, it can actually be disaster. All funds for closing a purchase need to be documented and come from an acceptable source. Cash cannot truly be documented. It could come from anywhere and with no paper trail . It could be a loan from a friend, which would not be acceptable. It could be a credit card advance, which would also not be acceptable. If you are planning to deposit cash into your bank account, discuss this with you loan officer prior to the deposit.
  • Paying off an old collection account just prior to making an offer on a home. This sounds like a good idea, and the lender may even need the collection to be paid off prior to closing. But paying off an old collection will “update” an old derogatory item on your credit report, which could lead to a lower FICO score. Your lender may suggest holding off on paying the collection until the loan is officially in process and a credit report with an acceptable FICO score has been pulled. The lender can have the credit bureau do a credit supplement during escrow to verify the account is paid off.
  • Closing credit card accounts prior to offer acceptance. Depending on your current FICO score, closing old credit card accounts could actually lower your FICO score. This is because those old accounts show that the borrower has a history of credit, hopefully in this case “good” credit. By closing the account, it will no longer be updated in the credit report, and the borrowers score could drop due to a lack of history.
  • Shopping for condos that are not on the VA approved list. There  are ways to find VA approved condo’s that will save time if you are working with a local Orange County VA Loan Officer.

What is Needed for VA Loan PreApproval?

A more thorough review of the Veterans documentation will be needed before an offer to purchase is made if the odd’s for a smooth transaction are to increase. The VA lender will want to see the following items:

  • Paystubs for the most recent 30 days. For a self employed borrower, a Year to Date Profit and Loss statement.
  • Federal tax returns for the most recent two year time period, including all schedules. For a self employed borrower, the lender will also need their business tax returns for the most recent two years.
  • W2’s, 1099’s, and or K-1’s (self employed) for the most recent two years.
  • Bank statements for the most recent two months, including all pages (even if the last page is blank – if the first page shows “1 of 5” then provide all pages. The lender won’t know the last page is blank unless they have it in hand).
  • DD214 – this will be used by the VA lender to retrieve the Certificate of Eligibility. The Certificate of Eligibility will verify that the Veteran can use the VA program to finance their home. Making sure the Veteran’s Eligibility is in place prior to an accepted offer is very important.

The lender may also ask for additional items depending on the Veterans situation. Items like a divorce decree, bankruptcy papers, or documentation to back up derogatory items on a credit report will be needed. Also, if there are deposits that are not payroll related on the bank statements, then documentation to prove the deposits are from acceptable sources will be needed. Knowing this and already clearing these types of conditions will result in a very smooth and stress free closing. And no, this can’t all be done in 5 minutes. But it can be done quickly if you’re working with a loan officer who is dedicated to the VA loan program.

Authored by Tim Storm, a California Mortgage Loan Officer MLO 223456 – Please contact my office at the Emery Financial. Direct line at 949-640-3102. www.OrangeCountyVALoans.com

Filed Under: VA Purchase Loans Tagged With: ,

Why Get PreApproved for a VA Mortgage?

August 11, 2013 by

Orange county real estate agent va financingThe real estate market in Orange County, CA is hotter than its been in years making mortgage PreApproval more important than ever. There are more people looking to purchase a home, and all price ranges, than at any time since before 2008. This has lead to competition for the limited supply of homes on the market. So who is getting their offer accepted?

Mortgage PreApproval is more important than ever!

The more prepared a potential homebuyer is the better chance they have of getting an offer accepted. What does it take to be prepared for a home purchase in Orange County, which is such a competitive market? The first and most important step is to get PreApproved. Homebuyers need to know BEFORE they start searching for a home what they can actually afford. They should have a budget in place and have a good idea of how much total mortgage payment they can afford.

The mortgage payment is made up of more than just the principal and interest. Buying a home also means paying property taxes and home owners insurance. And if the property is in a Planned Unit Development or is a condo, then Home Owners Association dues also need to be factored in. The best way to know these numbers is to consult with a local Orange County mortgage lender.

What your Orange County, CA VA Specialist Loan Officer Can Do for You

A good Orange County loan officer who specializes in VA financing will be able to not only answer questions regarding the loan and home buying process, but also prepare custom loan scenarios that will have the full details of a real estate transaction. The loan scenarios should show the purchase price, loan amount, required down payment, closing costs, and prepaid expenses. The scenarios should also show the full payment breakdown.

The VA specialist loan officer should also be able to show the home buyer scenarios that the buyer actually qualifies for, at least based on the initial verbal consultation. To get PreApproved the lender will need the borrowers income and asset documentation. Items such as recent paystubs, two years W2’s and tax returns, and bank statements. The lender will need a completed loan application and will also run credit.

Not all home buyers are financially ready to buy. But the PreApproval process will give them the road map to getting prepared. Whether they need to work on their credit, save more money for down payment, or adjust to the type of home they are shopping for (or neighborhood), just knowing for they can buy is very important.

Filed Under: VA Purchase Loans Tagged With:
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