Step 1: Have A Conversation - Ensure Eligibility

• Initial Consultation: Start by having a conversation with us, see our Services page to learn about what that’s like, or click here to schedule a time to speak with us - Book Eligibility Appointment

• We’ll Help You with Eligibility: You’ll need your certificate of eligibility from the VA to confirm you qualify for a VA Loan. You can check general eligibility requirements directly with the VA here. The VA allows us to submit requests on behalf of clients for certificates in their automated system. Most times it returns a certificate very quickly, but sometimes the VA will request more information to process your eligibility determination. This might mean tracking down discharge paperwork, or points statements. We’ve helped many veterans with their eligibility determination so don’t hesitate to ask for help. We can submit a request for you through our system, or you can get started on your request through the VA by going here - VA Certificate of Eligibility Request

• Step 2: Application

• Formal Application: Submit a formal loan application. We will guide you through the process and inform you of any additional scenario-specific requirements. You can click here to Apply Online Now.

• Documentation Required:

  • Income Verification: Recent pay stubs, retirement statements, W-2 forms, or tax returns for the past 2 years to verify your income.

  • Credit Report: We’ll pull your credit report, but it’s also good to review your credit in advance.

  • Photo ID: We must identify you.

  • Other Income Documents: Any other documentation to support other sources of income.

  • Insurance Declaration Page: We’ll need to review your hazard insurance policy to determine that it meets minimum requirements.

Step 3: Loan Processing and Underwriting

• Loan Setup: After you complete your application and provide your initial supporting documentation we’ll begin the loan setup phase. This is where we structure your loan, shop lenders for you, and review all of your documentation one more time to make sure you’re set up for success. We’ll focus heavily on loan terms, costs, payments, and total cash received at closing, so you get a clear picture of what lies ahead.

• Automated Underwriting: One of the first steps in the loan approval process for a VA cash out refinance is submitting your application to an Automated Underwriting System (AUS) that evaluates your creditworthiness and eligibility based on predefined criteria. The AUS will generate a decision and a list of required documents for verification. Once we receive the AUS decision, we will proceed to verify the accuracy of the information and comply with the document requests. Automated decisions give borrowers more certainty, but inputs must still be verified.

• Loan Disclosures: Your official loan application and associated disclosures will be generated and sent for you to sign electronically. We’ll guide you through signing these. Once these are completed, we’ll get your file ready for underwriting.

• Underwriting: We will submit your application and documentation to a human underwriter for approval. The underwriter reviews your financial information, ensures that we meet all guideline requirements, and verifies the results of the automated underwriting system (AUS). This process may take several days up to a couple weeks, depending on the complexity of your situation. During this time, we may need to go back and forth with you and the underwriter to clear any conditions or questions that arise. We will communicate with you regularly and keep you updated on the status of your approval.

• Appraisal: An appraisal to assess the property's value and compliance with the loan program's guidelines and standards will be scheduled. This step can occur either before receiving conditional approval or, in many cases, after conditional approval has been issued by the underwriter. If you are taking cash out up to the maximum 100% loan to value then the appraisal will ultimately determine your final loan amount.

Step 4: Loan Approval and Closing

• Loan Approval: Once all of your underwriting conditions are cleared, you’ll receive full loan approval. That means you’re almost out of the woods.

• Clear to Close: After loan approval we’ll work to do just a few more things in order to get the final ok from the lender that we are completely in the clear to draw documents. These are the magic words, clear to close, that we always want to hear in the mortgage industry. This means the only step left is to draw up the final paperwork for you to sign.

• Closing: At closing, you'll sign all necessary paperwork, finalize the loan, and get your cash!