u/Other_Camp3991

My wife and I really want to use our VA home loan, but we're concerned that we might not qualify for a house we'd actually want to live in.

We currently have one car payment, and my wife has around $9,700 in student loan debt. Is there any way to use a VA loan to pay off one of these debts, either as part of the home purchase or through some other VA loan option?

We're hoping to buy a house here in North Texas and are just trying to get an idea of how this works and what we might realistically qualify for. We’re both first-time homebuyers, so any advice, tips, or things you wish you knew before using your VA loan would be greatly appreciated!

Also, is the VA loan truly 0% down, or are there fees/costs we should expect to pay upfront? I've heard about the VA funding fee and closing costs, so I'm trying to understand how much cash we should realistically have saved before buying.

Thanks in advance!

My wife and I really want to use our VA home loan, but we're concerned that we might not qualify for a house we'd actually want to live in.

We currently have one car payment, and my wife has around $9,700 in student loan debt. Is there any way to use a VA loan to pay off one of these debts, either as part of the home purchase or through some other VA loan option?

We're hoping to buy a house here in North Texas and are just trying to get an idea of how this works and what we might realistically qualify for. We’re both first-time homebuyers, so any advice, tips, or things you wish you knew before using your VA loan would be greatly appreciated!

Also, is the VA loan truly 0% down, or are there fees/costs we should expect to pay upfront? I've heard about the VA funding fee and closing costs, so I'm trying to understand how much cash we should realistically have saved before buying.

Thanks in advance!

Geo-Baching During a PCS/Yard Period
Okay, please go easy on me guys 😂 I genuinely am curious and trying to understand how this works.
I PCS to Washington next year and am considering doing what I believe is called geobaching. My concern is that my ship is going into a yard period, and I’ve seen people at my current command stay in their racks while their families live somewhere else.
I’ve also heard that while a ship is in the yards, there can be situations where the ship’s berthing is secured or isn’t considered suitable as living quarters. If that happens, would I be able to request a barracks room, or how does that process normally work for a married Sailor?
Also, how would BAH work in this situation? Would I receive BAH based on where my dependents are living, where I’m stationed in Washington, or is there a specific rule for geobachelors?
I’m just trying to understand my options and plan ahead. If anyone has actually done this, especially during a yard period, I’d really appreciate hearing how it worked for you and what the process was.
Very respectfully.