Veterans · Active Duty · Guard & Reserve · Surviving Spouses

VA Loans & Veteran Home Buying in Michigan

Thank You for Your Service.
Now Let Us Handle the House.

You earned a benefit that lets you buy with nothing down. The catch nobody explains: sellers pass on VA offers because of the math, not the loan. We list homes too, so we know exactly what a seller compares. Before you talk to a lender or pick an agent, send us your pay grade, dependents, duty station, and report date. Within one business day you'll have what your BAH carries in each of our cities, the commute from each, and a timeline working back from your orders.

Buying or selling, there's a veteran discount. We don't publish a number; we discuss it. Call 800-417-0117 or text 810-229-8150.

No down paymentNo PMIPCS-readyMPR screeningSpouse & POA support
Got it. Your Michigan VA Home Plan will be with you within one business day. If your report date is close, call 800-417-0117.

Free Michigan VA Home Plan

Within one business day. Before you talk to a lender, before you pick an agent.

  • What your BAH actually carries in each of our cities at today's rates
  • Commute time from each to your installation
  • A dated timeline working back from your report date
  • The loan-limit reality for your entitlement
Couldn't send. Call 800-417-0117 or text 810-229-8150.

No obligation. Never sold or shared. Confidential.

Straight Talk

Why VA Offers Lose — and It Isn't the Appraisal

We list homes too. So we'll tell you what actually happens on the other side of the table, because most agents won't.

A seller has three offers. One is cash. One is conventional with 20% down and no requests. One is a VA offer at zero down asking the seller to cover $9,000 in closing costs. That third offer nets the seller less money, and it's the one that gets passed over.

It usually isn't prejudice against veterans. It's arithmetic. And arithmetic is something you can compete with once you know it's the scoreboard.

Three offers on the same $350,000 home. Cash and conventional both net the seller $350,000; a VA offer asking $9,000 in concessions nets $341,000.
Same price on all three. Only the seller's net changes — and that is what gets compared.

Here's what most buyer's agents never explain: you don't have to ask for concessions. Sometimes you do, and that's fine — but it should be a decision, not a default. There are three ways to bring a VA offer's seller net back to cash: adjust the price against the concession, tighten the closing timeline and inspection terms, or roll costs into the loan where the appraisal supports it. VA rules limit seller concessions to 4% of the loan amount, and the veteran can pay most customary closing costs directly, so the structure is more flexible than listing agents assume. 38 CFR 36.4313; VA Pamphlet 26-7, Chapter 8.

The same VA offer written clean. Dropping the concession request brings the seller net to $350,000, matching cash, with the veteran still putting nothing down.
Same price, no concession request. The seller's net matches the cash offer, and nothing about the appraisal changes.

The other half is the appraisal conversation. Some listing agents still believe VA appraisals are slow and that Minimum Property Requirements will blow up the deal. Two facts answer that, in writing, in the offer: MPRs are limited to safety, structural soundness, and sanitation (VA Pamphlet 26-7, Chapter 12), and if the appraiser expects to come in under contract price, the Tidewater procedure gives the buyer's side 48 hours to submit comparable sales before the value is final. A listing agent who knows both of those stops treating a VA offer as a coin flip.

That's the whole job: know what the seller is actually comparing, structure your offer so it competes on their math, and screen properties for MPR problems before you write so the appraisal isn't a surprise.

"She found us a home quickly for under the asking price. She was always available for all of our questions. Buying a house can be stressful and Kelly put our worries at ease."

Larry & Becky Vanderwall Buyers, represented by RCG

Orders in hand? Start here, before the lender and before the agent.

Send your pay grade, dependents, duty station, and report date. Within one business day: what your BAH carries in each of our cities, the commute from each, and a dated timeline back from your orders. Free, no obligation.

Get the Michigan VA Home Plan
What You've Earned

The VA Loan, Plainly

No jargon. Confirm your own eligibility at VA.gov or with a VA-approved lender — entitlement varies by service history.

No Down Payment

Most eligible buyers can finance the full purchase price. On a $350,000 Michigan home, that's tens of thousands you keep instead of handing over at closing.

38 U.S.C. §3710

No Mortgage Insurance

Conventional loans under 20% down carry PMI. VA loans don't. That difference is often several hundred dollars every month, for years.

Reusable Entitlement

A VA loan isn't once-in-a-lifetime. Entitlement is generally restored when the loan is paid off, and some members hold two at once.

38 U.S.C. §3702

Assumable

A future buyer who qualifies may be able to assume your VA loan and its interest rate. In a higher-rate market that becomes a real selling advantage. More on that below.

38 U.S.C. §3714

Funding Fee Exemptions

The one-time VA funding fee is waived for veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability, for certain surviving spouses, and for Purple Heart recipients on active duty. Your lender confirms this against your COE.

38 U.S.C. §3729(c)

No Prepayment Penalty

Pay it down early, refinance, or sell whenever you want. Nothing in the loan punishes you for it.

The Process

How to Buy a Michigan Home With a VA Loan

Six steps from Certificate of Eligibility to keys.

1

Get Your COE

Request your Certificate of Eligibility through VA.gov, a VA-approved lender, or by mail. It's the first document any lender asks for.

2

Preapproval, VA-Experienced

Not every lender closes VA loans regularly. Work with one that does. We'll introduce you to lenders who do it weekly, not yearly.

3

Search With MPRs in Mind

We flag homes likely to trigger Minimum Property Requirement issues before you write, so you're not paying for a second appraisal.

4

Write to Win

The offer answers the seller's VA objection directly instead of hoping it doesn't come up. This is where most VA buyers lose, and it's fixable. It's part of representing you, not an add-on.

5

Appraisal & Repairs

The VA appraiser sets value and confirms MPRs. If repairs are required, we negotiate who handles them before closing. If value looks short, Tidewater gives us 48 hours to respond with comps.

6

Close, Then File

After closing, qualifying disabled veterans file Form 5107 with the local assessor for Michigan's full property tax exemption. It isn't automatic, and it can be prorated for the year you buy.

For Sellers

Selling a Michigan Home That Has a VA Loan on It

Two situations come up that most listing agents have never handled. One is an advantage. One is a rescue. Both are things we do.

Your low rate is a listing feature

A VA loan can be assumed by a qualified buyer, veteran or not, with the lender's approval. If you locked a rate in 2020 or 2021, a buyer who takes over that loan instead of getting a new one at today's rate can save hundreds a month, and buyers will pay for that. The assumption funding fee is a fraction of a new loan's.

The catch is your entitlement: it stays tied to the loan unless the buyer is a veteran who substitutes their own. We market the assumable loan as a feature, price it, and structure the deal so you know exactly what happens to your entitlement before you accept. 38 U.S.C. §3714.

Owe more than the house is worth?

The VA has a compromise sale program: if you have to sell for less than the loan balance and the reasons qualify, the VA may pay the lender the difference so you can close without bringing cash to the table. It has requirements, paperwork, and a lender who has to agree, and it is far better than a foreclosure on a VA loan.

We handle the sale side, coordinate with the loan servicer, and keep the file moving. Confirm the program's current terms with your servicer or a VA loan technician. VA Home Loan Guaranty, compromise sale; VA Pamphlet 26-7.

Either way, the veteran discount applies to the listing side too. And if you're selling because of orders and you've already reported, we run the whole sale remotely.

PCS Orders

Moving To or From a Michigan Installation

Orders don't wait for real estate. We buy and sell around your report date, and manage the whole sale remotely if you've already left. Renting first? The SCRA lets you end a lease on PCS orders with written notice. 50 U.S.C. §3955.

Selfridge Air National Guard BaseHarrison Township
Detroit ArsenalWarren
Fort Custer Training CenterBattle Creek
Camp GraylingGrayling
Alpena CRTCAlpena
Ann Arbor VA Medical CenterAnn Arbor
"Joel and his Real Estate Team were extremely helpful. They were positive and proactive, yet not aggressive or pushy. Found the perfect home while we lived out of state."

Robert Fernandez Relocated from Florida to Michigan

"We got aerials, surveys, and perk tests all while living in Switzerland! Other Realtors shied away because we were too far away. Joel embraced it."

Kimberly & David Jaeger Purchased from Switzerland

Michigan Specific

The Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption

Michigan exempts a qualifying disabled veteran's homestead from property taxes entirely. Not a reduction, not a credit: the whole bill, with no income limit and no cap on the home's value. The unremarried surviving spouse keeps it. MCL 211.7b.

Three ways to qualify, each tied to a VA determination, plus an honorable discharge and owning and occupying the home as your homestead:

  • Rated permanently and totally disabled from service and entitled to benefits at the 100% rate
  • Rated individually unemployable (TDIU)
  • Received a VA specially adapted housing grant

How to claim it: file Treasury Form 5107 with the assessor of the city or township where the home is, not the county and not the state. Attach your VA benefits summary letter. It is not applied automatically, and since January 1, 2025, once granted it stays in effect without annual refiling until you sell, move, or the assessor determines the property no longer qualifies. Buy mid-year and the exemption can be prorated from your closing date. When you move, you file again at the new address.

On a Michigan home taxed at $4,500 a year, this is $4,500 a year. A number of qualifying veterans pay it anyway because nobody told them to file. We tell you at closing.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Requirements change. Confirm current eligibility and filing with your local assessor, the Michigan Department of Treasury, or a Michigan-accredited Veterans Service Officer. Your county Department of Veterans Affairs office can help you file at no cost. Partial ratings do not qualify under 211.7b; the Homestead Property Tax Credit (MI-1040CR) may still apply.

For the One Holding It Together

If You're Doing This While They're Deployed

A lot of the time the person researching houses at 11pm isn't the service member. It's the spouse — comparing school districts, working out commutes, trying to get a family settled around a report date nobody controls.

You can do almost all of it without them. Tour homes, get preapproved, write an offer, and in many cases close — with a specific power of attorney in place. The mistake families make is waiting until closing week to sort that document out, when lenders and title companies each want particular language in it.

Set up the power of attorney early. It is the single thing that most often saves a military closing, and the single thing most often left until it's too late.

Call us even if your service member is unreachable right now. We'll explain what needs their signature and what doesn't, and get the paperwork moving so a deployment or a field rotation doesn't cost you the house.

Can I start the home search while my spouse is deployed?
Yes, and most military families do. You can tour homes, get preapproved, and even write an offer while your service member is deployed or at another duty station. The usual mechanism is a specific power of attorney that names the transaction and authorizes you to sign. Set it up early rather than at closing, because lenders and title companies each have their own requirements for what the document must say.
Does my spouse have to be on the loan with me?
Not necessarily. A veteran can use their VA loan entitlement with a non-veteran spouse as co-borrower, or in some cases without the spouse on the loan at all. Michigan is not a community property state, which makes this simpler here than in some other states. Your lender will confirm what works for your credit and income picture.
What happens if we get orders before we close?
It happens more than people expect. Depending on timing, options include accelerating the closing, using a power of attorney so the service member does not need to be present, or in some cases exercising a military clause. Tell us the moment orders are even a possibility, because the earlier we know, the more options stay open.
Can BAH count toward qualifying for the mortgage?
Often yes. Basic Allowance for Housing is generally treated as qualifying income by VA lenders, and because it is non-taxable it may be grossed up in the calculation. This is one of the reasons military families frequently qualify for more than they expect. Your lender will confirm how your specific pay and allowances are counted.
We are moving to Michigan sight unseen. How does that work?
Video walkthroughs, neighborhood tours by phone, school district breakdowns, and commute analysis to your installation. We have handled purchases for families who never set foot in the house until closing day. You get honest assessments, including when we think a house is wrong for you.
Is it better to buy or rent at a new duty station?
It depends on how long you expect to be there, whether you would be able to sell or rent the home if orders come early, and what a mortgage payment looks like against your BAH. If you rent, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 3955) lets you terminate a lease on PCS orders with written notice and a copy of the orders. We will tell you honestly if renting is the better call. We would rather lose the transaction than put a family into the wrong one.
Who do I talk to if my spouse is deployed and unreachable?
Us. You do not need your service member on the phone to start. We will walk you through the process, explain what needs their signature and what does not, and help you get a power of attorney in place ahead of time so a deployment or a field rotation does not stall your closing.
Free · 2 pages · PDF

The Michigan VA Home Buying Checklist

Not ready to send your pay grade yet? Take the checklist. Two printable pages: what to do before a lender or an agent, the five questions to ask a VA lender, a report-date timeline you fill in, the MPR pre-screen to walk a house with, how to write an offer a seller says yes to, appraisal week, and the two things to do after closing.

  • Statute and VA references on every line that has one
  • Built for the spouse doing this at 11pm as much as for the service member
  • Fits on the fridge next to the orders
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Questions

Michigan Veteran Home Buying FAQ

Do I need a down payment to buy a home in Michigan with a VA loan?
In most cases, no. Eligible veterans, active duty service members, and surviving spouses can finance up to the full purchase price with no down payment under 38 U.S.C. 3710, which is the single biggest advantage of a VA loan. There is also no private mortgage insurance, which typically saves hundreds of dollars a month compared to a conventional loan with a small down payment. Eligibility and entitlement amounts vary, so confirm your specific situation at VA.gov or with a VA-approved lender.
Why do sellers choose other offers over VA offers?
Usually it is arithmetic, not prejudice. If a VA offer comes in at zero down and asks the seller to pay several thousand dollars in closing costs, the seller nets less than they would from a cash or conventional offer with money down and no requests. Realty Concierge Group also lists homes, so we know what sellers actually compare. We help veteran buyers structure offers that compete on the seller's math: adjusting price against a concession, tightening the closing timeline and inspection terms, or rolling costs into the loan where the appraisal supports it. VA rules cap seller concessions at 4% of the loan amount (38 CFR 36.4313). Separately, some listing agents still believe VA appraisals are slow or that Minimum Property Requirements will kill a deal. That concern is usually outdated, and we answer it in writing in the offer. Writing the offer this way is part of representing you; it starts with the free Michigan VA Home Plan.
What are VA Minimum Property Requirements?
MPRs are the conditions a home must meet for a VA appraisal to pass. They are limited to safety, structural soundness, and sanitation, and are set out in VA Pamphlet 26-7, Chapter 12. Common triggers include peeling paint on homes built before 1978, missing handrails, roof condition, well and septic requirements, and non-functioning mechanical systems. Knowing which properties are likely to trigger MPR issues before you write an offer saves veterans time, money, and repeat appraisal fees.
What happens if the VA appraisal comes in low?
Under the VA's Tidewater procedure, an appraiser who expects to come in below the contract price must notify the lender's point of contact before finalizing, and the buyer's side then has 48 hours to submit comparable sales and other support for the price. If the value still comes in low, the buyer can pay the difference, the seller can reduce the price, the parties can split it, or the buyer can walk away with earnest money returned under the VA escape clause. A listing agent who understands Tidewater treats a VA offer very differently.
Does Realty Concierge Group work with veterans relocating on PCS orders?
Yes. We work with service members relocating to and from Michigan installations including Selfridge Air National Guard Base, the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Fort Custer, Camp Grayling, and Alpena CRTC. Orders do not wait for real estate. We manage sales remotely for members who have already reported, using video walkthroughs, contractor coordination, and remote closing.
Is there a property tax exemption for disabled veterans in Michigan?
Yes. Under MCL 211.7b, Michigan fully exempts the homestead of a qualifying disabled veteran, or the veteran's unremarried surviving spouse, from property taxes. You qualify with an honorable discharge and one of three VA determinations: permanently and totally disabled at the 100% rate, individually unemployable, or a specially adapted housing grant. File Treasury Form 5107 with your city or township assessor. Since January 1, 2025, once granted the exemption stays in effect without annual refiling until you sell or move, and it can be prorated for the year you buy. Confirm current requirements with your assessor or the Michigan Department of Treasury.
Can a surviving spouse use VA loan benefits in Michigan?
In many cases, yes. The surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty, or of a veteran who died from a service-connected disability, may be eligible for VA loan benefits in their own name. That can mean no down payment, no private mortgage insurance, and in many cases no VA funding fee at all under 38 U.S.C. 3729(c). Eligibility depends on the circumstances and on whether the spouse has remarried, and it is confirmed through a Certificate of Eligibility. A number of surviving spouses never learn they qualify. Start at VA.gov or ask a VA-approved lender to pull your COE.
Can I use a VA loan more than once?
Yes. VA loan entitlement can be restored and reused, and in some situations a veteran can hold more than one VA loan at a time. This matters for service members who bought near a previous duty station and are now buying in Michigan. A VA-approved lender can calculate your remaining entitlement before you start looking.
Can a buyer assume my VA loan when I sell my Michigan home?
Yes. Under 38 U.S.C. 3714, a VA loan can be assumed by a qualified buyer, veteran or not, with the lender's approval, and the buyer takes over your interest rate. If you locked a low rate, that is a real listing advantage in a higher-rate market, and the assumption funding fee is a fraction of a new loan's. The trade-off is your entitlement: it stays tied to the loan unless the buyer is a veteran who substitutes their own. We price the assumable loan as a feature and structure the sale so you know what happens to your entitlement before you accept.
I owe more on my VA loan than my Michigan house is worth. What are my options?
The VA has a compromise sale program. If you have to sell for less than the loan balance and the reasons qualify, the VA may pay the lender the shortfall so you can close without bringing cash. It requires the servicer's participation and documentation of the hardship, and it is far better for you than a foreclosure on a VA loan. We handle the sale side and coordinate with the servicer. Confirm the program's current terms with your loan servicer or a VA loan technician.
What is the RCG veteran discount and how do I get it?
Realty Concierge Group offers a discount to veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, surviving spouses, and Gold Star families. It applies whether you are buying or selling, and to both sides if you are doing both. We discuss the specifics directly rather than publishing a number, because the right structure depends on your situation. Call 800-417-0117 or text 810-229-8150 and ask.
Does Realty Concierge Group help National Guard and Reserve members?
Yes. Michigan National Guard and Reserve members may be eligible for VA loan benefits after meeting service requirements, and the RCG veteran discount applies to Guard and Reserve members as well. Confirm your eligibility and Certificate of Eligibility status at VA.gov.
What areas of Michigan does Realty Concierge Group serve for veteran home buyers?
RCG serves all of Southeast Michigan including Brighton, Howell, Hartland, Ann Arbor, Novi, Northville, South Lyon, Milford, Plymouth, Canton, and the surrounding communities across Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Genesee Counties, and takes statewide referrals for relocating service members.
RCG

Reviewed by Joel Schmidt

Broker of Record and Founder, Realty Concierge Group

Licensed Michigan real estate agent since 2004 and broker since 2015. Investing in and managing Michigan property since 1995. Founded Realty Concierge Group in Brighton in 2015. RCG represents buyers and lists homes across Livingston, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties, which is why this page can describe what a seller actually compares.

Statutes and VA references on this page verified September 2026. Last reviewed September 21, 2026.

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Get the Free Michigan VA Home Plan

Pay grade, dependents, duty station, report date. Within one business day: what your BAH carries in each of our cities at today's rates, the commute from each to your installation, a dated timeline working back from your orders, and the loan-limit reality for your entitlement. Before a lender, before an agent. Selling a home with a VA loan on it? Same form; we'll tell you what that loan is worth to a buyer.

And the discount: it applies to buying, to selling, and to both sides if you're doing both. We don't publish a number because the right structure depends on your situation. Ask.

Call 800-417-0117
Text 810-229-8150
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Buying a Home Sell Your Home PCS & Relocation Appraisal Booster Method Client Reviews Meet the Team Home

Realty Concierge Group is a licensed Michigan real estate brokerage. We are not a lender, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and not a tax or legal advisor. VA loan eligibility, entitlement, funding fees, and program terms are set by the VA and confirmed by a VA-approved lender through your Certificate of Eligibility. Statute references are provided for informed conversations with your lender, assessor, or Veterans Service Officer, not as legal advice.

The veteran discount is discussed individually; it is not a published rate and does not alter any lender or VA fee.

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