Pwr TPO

A quick one for our military families and the mortgage professionals who serve them. 🎖️

Did you know VA allows an active-duty service member to purchase their retirement home UP TO 12 MONTHS before they officially retire?

The rule is in VA Pamphlet 26-7- the official VA Lender's Handbook. The key requirements:

📌 A specific, firm retirement date (not "sometime soon")
📌 A verified, documented application for retirement already submitted

That's it! With those two things in place, your veteran can buy now and settle in before the transition is complete.

So many service members want to establish roots before they leave active duty. VA built this provision into the handbook to make that possible.

Know a transitioning veteran? Share this. 👇
👉 Full breakdown on the PWR Wire- plus FHA and USDA scenarios too: https://www.pwrtpo.com/blog

Here's something a lot of homebuyers and even some loan officers don't know about
FHA loans. 👇

If you're on maternity leave, paternity leave, or taking time off to care for a sick family member, you don't automatically lose your ability to qualify.

FHA's handbook (HUD 4000.1) specifically addresses temporary leave situations. As long as you can show:

✔️ You intend to return to work
✔️ Your employer confirms your right to return
✔️ You'll be back on the job by the time your first mortgage payment is due

…your lender can use your pre-leave income to qualify you. The income you were earning before the leave counts, even if you're not actively receiving it right now.

This matters for families who are navigating a life transition and want to buy a home at the same time. The rules have flexibility built in. You just need a lender who knows how to use it.

👉 Read our full government lending blog on the PWR Wire: https://www.pwrtpo.com/blog