With VA eligibility, the VA loan is almost always the right call at this price point: zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and typically a slightly lower note rate than a conventional 30-year fixed. VA charges a one-time funding fee instead of any monthly mortgage insurance, and that fee is waived for veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation. On monthly payment, the program is very hard to beat. What makes the file strong is the same set of fundamentals any lender wants: - Solid credit. VA itself sets no minimum score; most lenders look for roughly 620 and up, and higher scores earn better pricing. - A debt-to-income ratio you are comfortable with, rather than one stretched to a program ceiling. - Real reserves, so a surprise does not derail the plan. The move that pays off most: get with a lender early, before you are under contract, so there is time to nudge the credit score up and document stable income the way the guidelines want it. One caution: the big national outfits that market heavily to veterans tend to quote higher rates and fees, so get a competing quote before you commit. If you want your actual qualifying range and payment on a home in this range, that is exactly what we map out in the free Roadmap conversation, about 20 minutes where we run your real numbers.