How to Use Your VA Loan in Hampton Roads: The Process, Step by Step

If you are a veteran or active-duty service member, the VA loan is the most powerful home-buying tool available in Hampton Roads, and it does not require a down payment. The process is straightforward once you know the steps: Certificate of Eligibility, pre-approval, an offer, a VA appraisal, and closing. As a Marine Corps Veteran and Virginia Beach real estate agent who has helped close more than 1,000 transactions, here is exactly how it works.

Step 1: Get Your Certificate of Eligibility

Your Certificate of Eligibility, or COE, proves you have earned your entitlement, and you can request it through the VA or have your lender pull it for you. It is the document that unlocks the entire benefit, so start here the day you begin thinking about buying. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt from the funding fee entirely, so confirm your status before you budget for closing costs. My military home buying guide covers the full range of benefits, and my breakdown of how BAH works when buying in Virginia explains how your housing allowance counts as income.

Step 2: Get Pre-Approved With a VA-Savvy Lender

Not every lender does VA loans well. You want one who knows the seasoning rules, the residual income requirements, and how to count BAH, which most lenders can even gross up to help you qualify. A pre-approval gives you a written number and, in a market where homes still draw multiple offers, it tells sellers you are real. If you are relocating here on orders, my PCS relocation guide shows how to time all of this around your move dates.

Step 3: Make Your Offer

Once you find the right home, your agent writes an offer that accounts for the VA requirements coming down the line, including the appraisal and the inspection. Sellers in Hampton Roads have seen plenty of VA transactions, and with the right terms, a VA offer is every bit as competitive as any other. My guide to making a strong offer in the Virginia Beach market covers the terms that matter most.

Step 4: The VA Appraisal and What It Checks

After your offer is accepted, your lender orders the VA appraisal through the VA's system, and the appraiser confirms the home meets Minimum Property Requirements: safe, sound, and sanitary, with working systems and no obvious hazards. The appraisal typically takes 7 to 10 business days. If it comes in at or above your price, you are clear; if it comes in low, we negotiate or you walk. That is exactly why the initial offer needs to be grounded in real market data.

Step 5: Underwriting and Closing

Underwriting reviews your income, assets, credit, the appraisal, title, and insurance, and then you close. VA purchase loans typically close in about 30 to 45 days in 2026, about the same as a conventional loan, and some close faster. The funding fee for a first-time use with less than 5% down is 2.15% of the loan, dropping to 1.5% at 5% to 9.99% down and 1.25% at 10% or more. A second use carries 3.3%, and as noted, disabled veterans are exempt.

The VA loan is a lifetime benefit, and you can use it more than once. If you are thinking about buying in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, or anywhere in the region, I've got you. Let's get your COE moving and your pre-approval in hand. Talk soon!