I asked VAMC if I could write about my experience in using their services and they approved. Let me say up front that my agent, Nathan, has been awesome from start to finish. He has quickly answered every question I’ve had. He stays in constant contact with me as things progress and makes sure I have the most updated information reference my loan.
We finally found a home at our new duty station. Thankfully, I have some good friends in the area that have been tremendously helpful because I’ve been apprehensive about purchasing a home I haven’t physically walked through. I like to “kick the tires” before spending more than $100,000 on something. But, I found a home that I am comfortable making an offer on.
I didn’t come to that conclusion easily. For the past two months, Emily and I have been scouring the area online for a possible house. Our Realtor, a wonderful man named Ron Tyra, has gone out of his way for us as well. We’ve sent him all over the city to take photos and ask questions about homes we were interested in. We gave him some parameters and he dutifully informed us anytime a house meeting those parameters came on the market or there were changes to homes we already looked at. When we thought we found a home we may want to live in, we’d ask him to go and take more photos for us. We introduced him to our friends in the area so they could walk through with him.
Ron is an honest man, to best of my knowledge. When he found something wrong with a home we were looking at, he told us up front. He’s always given us the good, the bad, and the ugly about every property we’ve looked at. He responds quickly to requests for pictures of the A/C vent, a closet, the garage and other odd things. He never tried to push his own listings on us either. As a matter of fact, the home that we chose to make an offer on just happened to be his listing. He didn’t try to sell us the home. He made sure it was really what we wanted and even offered some alternatives in the neighborhood we may have been interested in. We ended up choosing his listing.
The loan process has been just as simple. Nathan sends everything we need via email. We look it over, sign what needs to be signed, and scan or fax it back. As things change in the market, like the recent interest rate cut, he was quick to call us and make us aware of anything that may affect our loan. He knows the VA loan process like the back of his hand. He’s never answered a question (that I can think of) with “I don’t know.”
Now that we’ve made an offer on a home, he has “held our hand” as we work towards closing. Because we are leaving very soon, we requested a quick closing pending the results of the home appraisal and inspection we ordered. Closings are not a simple thing. They take time, but Nathan is working feverishly to meet our deadlines. I’m comfortable that things will be closed before I head to the First Sergeants Course.
All we do now is wait. I’ve ordered the inspection and Nathan has ordered the appraisal. I’ve made an offer and it was accepted by the seller. Ron is working with Nathan to make all this happen as expeditiously as possible. Now we hurry up and wait…
I just closed Thursday on a house here in the Fort Hood area. I too worked with VA Mortgage and our loan officer, Dan Davis has been phenominal. Like Nathan, Dan has patiently worked with me every step of the way, ensuring that all the T’s were crossed and the I’s were dotted. In our circumstance, with Marty still deployed in Iraq, we had some extra things that had to be done, because I was signing his name as his Power of Attorney. Dan worked closely with the realtor, Pat Hunter in Killeen, Tx to ensure everything was done as quickly as possible. I can’t say enough good things about VA Mortgage and their superior staff.
Oh and CJ, aren’t you used to the “hurry up and wait” mentality by now? You are in the Army afterall. LOL!
Congratulations on finding a place. I hope you and your family have many happy times there.
Sounds like you have some great people working with you on obtaining your new home. I have been working on refinancing our current home, and I can say I haven’t had the luck you, Emily or Terri have had. Of course I haven’t had the luck of working with the VA either.
Congratulations CJ and family!!!! I’m so glad you had such helpful people around you.
CJ,
May I add my congratulations on finding a new home! I’m so glad that the process has been a good one for you and Emily. It sure is nice to have good people who know their job and who are also honest. Hope you guys make many happy memories in your new home!!
YAY!!!! I’m so happy you found something you like. I’ll bet the wife and kids are thrilled and really looking forward to getting settled.
Beware of this salesperson; he threatened to have his sister’s insurance cancelled while she was having breast cancer treatments. If he doesn’t care about his sister what makes you think he would care about selling you a house!!!! Just stating the facts!!!!
This company RIPS OFF VETS!!!
VETS BEWare!!!!
BEWARE!!!!!
Like wall street ripped off main street, VAMC rips off vets!!!!
VAMC makes ca$h ripping off honorable vets
Do not trust these people! They put a 3 year old in a hotel!
VETS THiS IS AN HONORLESS COmpANY
I would say don’t listen to Robert, and not just because I’m a blogger for VAMC. I’m a blogger for VAMC because I bought two homes through them and haven’t had a single issue. You’ll notice that Robert here isn’t very specific about how they rip off vets. Just conjecture and generic accusations. I challenge Robert to come back in here and explain his opinion.
Robert:
Are you a VAMC customer?
How does VAMC rip off vets?
Why isn’t VAMC an “honorable company?”
As a matter of fact, my experience is quite the opposite. The recent milblog conference is just ONE example. They were a main sponsor of the conference. They have donated thousands of dollars to military non-profits like Soldiers Angels, Vets4Vets, Fisher House, and others. They spend a lot of money on writers who tell the military story in their own words.
Robert, you’re just flappin’ your gums and without proof to back up your claims, I’m not going to let them go unchallenged! However, I’m willing to bet you may not even be back to defend your drive-by absurdity.
And for the record, I am not an employee and in no way does my opinion reflect those of VAMC.
VAMC should be reviewed by the VA. When I went to the VA site to look into my VA home loan options, I was directed by the VA to VAMC site. They were very aggresive and assured us after reviewing our credit history we were qualified for our VA home loan. Pre-approval letters were issued and the ok to find a home was given. With papers in hand we found our home. three days before time to close, underwriting decided we were not qualified afterall. $2650.00 in earnest money, $800.00 dollars in inspections and apprasials later is a very expensive way to find out you were not going to get your home after being APPROVED two months earlier. We have lost the $800.00 for sure, and the title company that was servicing the loan has decided we are not getting our $2650.00 back either. VAMC is nowhere to be found now. We are fighting the title company on our own to try and recover a portion of our earnest money. after small claims court we might break even. Don’t buy into the ” we serve those who served ” hype. They serve themselves only! I dont want something for nothing. If I’m not qualified, I can take that. But dont tell me I am qualified to find my home then decide I’m not and then run out like a bunch DC politicians going on vacation. If you deal with these guy’s, watch’em and take what they say with a grain of salt. It took me $3450.00 to figure out what this company is about. R/ Rich AMC/USN Ret.