Veterans United Home Loans Mortgage Refinance Review

VA loans offer veterans and active-duty service members competitive interest rates with no down payment or private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirements. But did you know you can also access some of these benefits when refinancing your home? There are many options available and it’s important to choose one of the best mortgage refinance companies that offer VA home loans.

Veterans United Home Loans is one company that can help you do that. It offers VA-backed streamline refinance loans and cash-out refinancing. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of this lender and its refinance products.

Veterans United Home Loans mortgage refinance pros and cons

Pros explained

Offers refinancing with little to no out-of-pocket costs

If you choose a streamline refinance from Veterans United Home Loans, you can expect a fast application process with minimal out-of-pocket costs. This allows you to secure a lower interest rate or better loan terms quickly while potentially maximizing your savings.

Has detailed home loan educational resources

Military families can find various helpful educational resources on the Veterans United website. The company has informational videos, articles and calculators to help military borrowers determine eligibility and find their ideal loan product.

24/7 customer support

To serve the needs of overseas troops, Veterans United Home Loans offers 24/7 customer support. You can call the company anytime to initiate a new refinance or ask questions. It also has an online form you can fill out to request a loan officer call or email you back at a later time.

Cons explained

Doesn’t clearly list its eligibility criteria online

Veterans United Home Loans doesn’t list its minimum credit score, income requirements or debt-to-income (DTI) ratio threshold on its website. These can vary based on the private lender you choose to facilitate your VA loan, and they often differ from the minimums that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs requires. You'll likely need to contact the company directly to determine whether it’s worth applying with your financial situation.

Only has physical locations in 17 states

Veterans United offers VA loans and refinancing nationwide, but its in-person locations are limited. It only has branches in 17 states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Veterans United VA loan refinance offerings

VA loans are available to active duty military service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sets forth additional eligibility requirements.

Veterans United Home Loans offers two VA refinance products: VA streamline refinance and VA cash-out refinance. If you’re going through the home buying process, Veterans United also offers VA purchase loans for single-family homes, condos, manufactured homes, multi-unit properties and new construction homes. The lender also offers a VA energy-efficient mortgage, which allows homebuyers to finance permanent energy-efficiency home improvements, such as storm windows, solar energy systems and more.

We take a closer look at the two Veterans United refinance options below.

VA streamline (IRRRL) refinance

VA streamline refinance loans are also known as interest rate reduction refinance loans (IRRRL). These are designed for borrowers with a current mortgage balance on an existing VA-backed home loan. An IRRRL aims to help military homeowners secure a new VA loan with a lower interest rate.

These are colloquially called “streamline” loans because they tend to have less paperwork than a traditional mortgage loan and are often processed faster. That makes an IRRRL a potentially good option if you want to lock in a lower or fixed interest rate quickly.

IRRRLs have minimal out-of-pocket costs and generally don’t require VA appraisal. As a homeowner, you can roll any IRRRL closing costs into the loan balance to avoid upfront out-of-pocket costs.

Taking out a VA streamline refinance could help you save thousands over the lifespan of your mortgage. However, this can depend on the current VA interest rates and how they compare to your existing rate. If interest rates today are higher than when you initiated your mortgage, you may be unable to save anything with an IRRRL refinance.

VA cash-out refinance

VA cash-out refinancing from Veterans United Home Loans can help you tap into your home equity. You get cash that you can use to pay down high-interest debt, complete home renovations or tackle other projects.

Notably, cash-out refinance is available for borrowers with both VA mortgages and non-VA mortgages. The VA cash-out loan you get will replace your existing mortgage and function as a brand-new loan with its own interest rate and monthly payment.

Veterans United’s cash-out refinance loan requirements aren’t all explicitly stated. For example, the company doesn’t share its minimum credit score requirement. However, it does say that the industry benchmark is around 620. The company also notes you may have to meet other eligibility requirements.

Veterans United mortgage refinance pricing

Veterans United Home Loans advertises low and no-cost refinancing through IRRRLs, but it doesn’t list its interest rates online. However, refinance mortgage rates can rise and fall based on a variety of influences, including monetary policy changes from the Federal Reserve. Personal factors can also influence your rate, such as your credit score, DTI ratio, loan amount, type of loan and more. The VA loan program is stricter on the fees a lender can charge you, but you may also have to pay a VA funding fee, origination fee or other lender fees.

Veterans United Home Loans financial stability

Veterans United Home Loans is a private company without much financial information available online. As a result, it's somewhat challenging to take an objective look at the business’s future financial stability. However, Veterans United Home Loans was founded in 2002 and claims to have closed more than 500,000 VA loans since then.

Veterans United VA loan refinancing accessibility

Availability

Veterans United Home Loans is a licensed lender in all 50 states — you can initiate a refinance loan online from anywhere in the country. The lender has physical branches in only the following 17 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Contact information

Veterans United Home Loans offers 24/7 customer support. You can reach a representative anytime by calling 1-800-884-5560. You can also email customer_service@vu.com or fill out a form online to request a follow-up.

User experience

The Veterans United Home Loans user experience has its pros and cons. On the plus side, the company offers a wide array of educational resources to learn more about your loan options. It also has ample customer service availability, so you can get answers to questions quickly, no matter what time zone you're in.

The downside of the company’s user experience is its lack of loan program eligibility and pricing information. The only way to get these details is to contact Veterans United Home Loans directly.

Veterans United Home Loans customer satisfaction

Veterans United Home Loans generally has strong customer reviews. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has earned an A+ rating. Many customer-written reviews across various websites highlight the company’s fast and easy loan process and helpful customer service.

How we evaluated Veterans United Home Loans refinancing

While creating our review of Veterans United Home Loans, we considered each of the following factors:

• Loan products: We considered the refinance products offered by Veterans United and evaluated their strengths and weaknesses.

• Customer reviews: We looked at customer reviews to assess how borrowers feel about Veterans United.

• Availability: We considered the availability of physical Veterans United branches and online loan initiation services.

• Customer service: We evaluated the company’s customer service availability and online educational resources.

Summary of Money's Veterans United Home Loans mortgage refinance review

Veterans United Home Loans may be a good VA lender option if you’re a veteran who wants to refinance your home loan. The company can help you procure a low or no-cost refinance that may reduce your interest rate and monthly payments. The lender also offers VA cash-out refinance, allowing you to access some of the cash you have built up in your home’s equity.

Keep in mind that VA loans are only available to eligible veterans and active military members. Veterans United doesn’t clearly list its eligibility criteria or pricing online, so it may not be a fit for everyone.