VA eligibility: service, COE, occupancy, and residual income. Guidance from Ryan Minick and Steve DeLon at Luminate Bank, lending nationwide.
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VA Loans
Who Qualifies
VA loans are reserved for eligible veterans, service members, and surviving spouses. Qualification starts with a Certificate of Eligibility — then credit, income, residual income, and a primary residence that clears lender guidelines.
Service eligibility comes first. Then underwriters review the rest of the file.
If you fall into one of these groups and can document income and credit, VA is often the strongest purchase path available.
Many of these are fixable with timing, documentation, or a different loan program — not automatic dead ends.
Exact day counts depend on when and how you served. Ryan and Steve confirm eligibility against your DD-214 or current orders and the COE — not a generic online checklist.
If you are unsure whether your Guard, Reserve, or wartime service qualifies, pull the COE first. That single document answers the eligibility question before you spend weeks shopping homes.
Ryan and Steve review the real file — entitlement, residual income, and overlays — before you write an offer.
Step
Related guides to help you compare options and move toward pre-approval.
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Ryan & Steve will pull your COE, check entitlement, review credit and residual income, and map the cleanest path to pre-approval.