My Top Lending Moment: Helping Veterans Establish Home Base With VA Loan
Today, we’re kicking off a new series to share some of our top lending moments and favorite memories of helping people buy a home. Our first story comes from Vikki Plagens, a loan officer at our Plymouth branch, who shares how she helped a two-generation military family build a home base for their loved ones for years to come.
“In 2014, Ross Mortgage helped my oldest son and I get a VA Loan. I could use all types of words to explain the excellent service Ross Mortgage provided, but I don’t have the words to say how much we appreciate everything they’ve done for us.” – David C., Veteran
As someone who has family members in the military, I have a personal passion for helping veterans find homes and enjoy educating them about the many benefits a veteran home loan can provide. I’ll never forget the time I helped two veterans, a father and son, buy a home. Prior to coming to Ross Mortgage, they were unsure about their ability to buy a house and didn’t think they had many options available to them.
I had the fortune of meeting the son first. He was newly married and looking to buy a house his family could grow in. After asking him a few questions during the pre-approval process and getting to know him better, I learned that he came from a family with a military background and that he was injured during boot camp.
Although his injuries prevented him from continuing his service to our country, I was sure he would qualify for a veteran home loan and proceeded to verify the eligibility requirements. When I told him he qualified for a zero down VA loan, he was speechless. After thinking he’d have to wait several years to save up enough money for a down payment, he had more than enough money and soon thereafter bought a house.
My veteran then referred his father David to me, a veteran who had served several tours in Iraq. As a disabled veteran, David had been through a lot and wasn’t sure he would be able to get a mortgage. However, he and his wife were hoping to move back to Michigan to be closer to their two sons. After working closely with David and his wife over several months, I was able to help them get approved for the VA loan program and into a home.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with veterans over the years, it’s that having a place to call home is one of the most important things they can provide their families. With the possibility of being deployed, and the instability that can come with military life, they take pride in providing their families with the comfort and sense of stability that comes with having a home.
To me, there’s no greater joy than helping veterans establish a home base for their families. They serve our country honorably and deserve to have a place to call home when they come back from service. I am honored to serve our military men and women in my own way by providing them a home base.
I’ve been in the mortgage industry for 31 years, I’m proud to work at a company that feels that same sense of duty as I do when it comes to helping veterans purchase a home. As Michigan’s VA lending expert, we’re passionate about supporting veterans and stand by our commitment to help members of our military find ethical, obtainable and affordable financing options.
If you would like to learn more about our work with veterans, please send us a message. We’d be happy to put you in touch with one of our VA experts.
