 TITLE: How to Get a Home Loan With Bad Credit CONTENT: VA Loans\n--------\nIf you're a service member, veteran or surviving spouse and meet the eligibility requirements, you may qualify for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) home loan program.\nThe VA backs loans, which is similar to the FHA program in that the VA insures the loan, but a VA-approved lender issues the loan. There are also VA direct loans, where the VA is the lender, available if either you or your spouse is Native American.\nTechnically, there's no credit score requirement for VA-backed loans. However, many VA-approved lenders require a minimum credit score of around 620. This requirement is still below the common conventional loan requirement of 660, but it's above the cutoff for some FHA loans.\nThere are important differences to consider if you're eligible for both an FHA and a VA loan. For instance, VA loans might not require a down payment or monthly mortgage insurance, but they could have a higher upfront fee. If you think you'll be moving again soon, it might make more sense to go with whichever loan has the lower upfront fee.\nOf course, you'll also want to compare the interest rates and monthly payments on the loans to see which option best fits your budget. END