$0 down. No monthly mortgage insurance. Competitive rates. I close VA loans all the time - and I make sure sellers take your offer seriously.
Zero down payment - even at Bay Area prices. No monthly mortgage insurance - which is often the biggest monthly savings versus FHA or low-down conventional. And since 2020, veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit - the loan size is driven by your qualification, not a county cap. There's a one-time funding fee, and many disabled veterans are exempt from it entirely - something I check on every file because it's worth thousands.
The dirty secret in competitive California markets: some listing agents wrongly steer away from VA offers. My job is making your offer look bulletproof - fully underwritten pre-approval, appraisal strategy for the VA process, and me personally available to the listing agent to vouch for the file. VA buyers win with me because the lender does the extra work.
California also runs CalVet Home Loans - a separate state program with a different structure (it's technically a contract-of-sale arrangement, with its own rates, eligibility and insurance). Sometimes it wins, often the federal VA loan wins. Don't let anyone conflate them - we'll compare both against your situation before you commit to either.
Whether you're buying in the East Bay, relocating on orders, or using your entitlement a second time, one call maps it out - entitlement check, funding-fee exemption check, and a real number.