If you are wondering about obtaining a VA mortgage loan after a foreclosure you are not alone. With some restrictions, the VA will allow current and past military personnel to obtain a new VA mortgage after a foreclosure.
Veterans are not eligible for a VA loan for 2 full years after their foreclosure. After this time veterans are allowed to apply for a loan again, but will face increased scrutiny and will likely have to respond to more questions during the application process.
Remember, while you are eligible to apply for a VA loan after 2 years, there are additional requirements that must be met which may vary by lender. Simply waiting out the recovery period does not guarantee you loan approval.
Also keep in mind that this rule does not only apply to veterans who previously had a VA loan. Even veterans who have had conventional mortgage foreclosures are subject to the same regulations.
For veterans who do have a recent foreclosure that involved a VA loan, there are additional restrictions.
First, to restore full entitlement after a VA loan foreclosure, the borrower has to completely pay back the VA the loss of the previously guaranteed amount.
It is possible to use partial-entitlement to get a VA loan, but without full entitlement a down payment will probably be required. Borrowers with past foreclosures will also be asked to provide details regarding the circumstances. If you can show that the cause of your financial trouble and foreclosure were largely out of your control, you may be able to increase your chances for approval.
Some examples of extenuating circumstances include:
- Unforeseen medical bills.
- Job loss.
- Certain lawsuits.
Examples of circumstances which probably won’t be considered to be extenuating are:
- Bankruptcy because of an entrepreneurial business venture.
- Getting divorced.
- Certain lawsuits.
Regardless of the scenario, there is no guarantee of approval or denial as decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Lastly, even though the VA does not disqualify veterans from VA loans after a foreclosure, it can definitely make the application process take longer than it normally would.