By KIMBERLEY HAAS
A grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation will help establish a training program to address the need for credentialed contractors in communities nationwide.
The foundation has a working relationship with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization that provides relief before, during, and after natural disasters. Leaders there say they continue to see a critical shortage of people with the skills necessary to assist homeowners in the rebuilding process.
Team Rubicon’s new TRades Academy will provide veterans with contracting, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC skills. Trainees will gain the field experience needed to eventually become certified contractors in their own communities, according to a press release.
Wells Fargo has provided a $750,000 grant to support the academy. That money…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Veterans are encouraged to learn more about their home loan benefits after a national survey found that a majority of former service members do not know they are eligible for a zero-down payment plan.
According to information from Realtor.com, just three out of 10 veterans know they can use their VA benefits to buy a home with no money down. That statistic comes from a survey conducted last month.
“VA home loans offer many benefits, especially at times like this when affordability is such a major factor in home purchase decisions. Yet only a small portion of eligible veterans are tapping into the financial benefits they deserve for their service,” Damian Eales, CEO at Realtor.com, said in…
Veterans in Texas are being offered extended homebuying benefits from Competitive Home Lending, the company announced.
Buyers applying for a VA loan through CHL can qualify for a wholesale VA mortgage rate.
Wholesale rates are typically between 25 and 50 basis points lower than retail rates. This gives veterans the opportunity to buy a more expensive home without increasing their purchase price.
CHL has lowered its credit score requirements for veterans to as low as 500, offering 100% financing.
“Competitive Home Lending recognizes the sacrifice and service of our Veterans and wants to do everything possible to make homeownership more accessible for them,” said Raul Hernandez, Mortgage Broker of Competitive Home Lending.
CHL is also offering VA one-time close construction…
Americans agree that military families deal with more financial stress than the average family. Ahead of Veterans Day, WalletHub looked at the best places veterans can live to reduce that burden. The Midwest and South offer the best places for veterans to live well, according to WalletHub’s 2022 Best & Worst Places for Veterans to Live report. The report analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities for key metrics related to veterans’ quality of life, including the share of military skill-related jobs, housing affordability, and proximity to VA health facilities. Raleigh, NC, took the top spot for the best place for veterans to live, followed by Austin, TX, and Laredo, TX. Madison, WI, and Tampa, FL, rounded out the top five.…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced over $2.6 billion to fund roughly 7,000 local homeless housing and service programs throughout the country. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said that access to stable housing is a basic necessity and the safety of a home is essential as the United States continues to fight COVID. “These Continuum of Care program grants, coupled with the historic resources in the American Rescue Plan, will deliver communities the resources needed to ensure that every person in a respective community has the equitable opportunity to a safe and stable home,” Fudge said in a statement released on Monday. The FY 2021 Continuum of Care Competition Awards will provide funding…
By Kimberley Haas Veterans throughout the country are being gifted homes or renovations to their existing houses as lenders and other business leaders come together to honor the service and sacrifices of the men and women who served in the U.S. military. On Wednesday, Veterans United Home Loans in Columbia, Mo., announced they are giving away 11 homes to 11 veterans to celebrate Veterans Day. Actor, comedian, and retired United States Marine Officer Rob Riggle has teamed up with Veterans United to be part of the project. “These veterans have continued to live the military value of ‘selfless service’ even after they’ve hung up their uniforms,” Riggle said in a statement. Veterans United is surprising 10 veterans with new houses…
