VA Home Loans in Utah
What the VA loan benefit actually provides
The core mechanics of using your earned benefit in Utah.
Eligibility, by service category
The most common paths to a Certificate of Eligibility.
Active Duty
Generally eligible after 90 continuous days of active service during wartime, or 181 days during peacetime.
Veterans
Eligibility depends on length and character of service. Most honorably discharged veterans qualify with documented service history.
National Guard & Reserves
Typically eligible after six years of service, or with 90 days of active service under Title 10 orders.
Surviving Spouses
Unmarried surviving spouses of service members who died in service or from a service-connected disability often qualify.
Certificate of Eligibility
We help you obtain or restore your COE — most can be pulled electronically in minutes, not weeks.
Hill AFB Borrowers
Active duty stationed at Hill use VA financing every day across Layton, Clearfield, Ogden, and beyond.
What the VA Loan Benefit Actually Is
The VA loan benefit is a mortgage guarantee program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA doesn't lend the money directly — lenders like CrossCountry do — but the VA guarantees a portion of the loan, which is what allows zero down payment and the removal of monthly mortgage insurance.
The headline advantages are real. No down payment is required for most eligible borrowers, monthly mortgage insurance does not exist on VA loans, and pricing is consistently among the most competitive in the market because of the VA guarantee.
The one cost most buyers ask about is the VA funding fee. It's a one-time fee charged at closing that helps fund the program for the next generation of veterans. The fee varies based on down payment, whether it's your first or subsequent use, and service category. Most buyers finance it into the loan, and certain disabled veterans have it waived entirely.
Who Qualifies
Active duty service members typically become eligible after 90 continuous days of active service during a wartime period, or 181 days during peacetime. National Guard and Reserve members generally qualify after six years of service, or after 90 days of active service under Title 10 orders.
Veterans are eligible based on length and character of service. Most honorably discharged veterans qualify, and we can help pull a Certificate of Eligibility electronically in most cases.
Surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty, or from a service-connected disability, also qualify in most situations. Eligibility for surviving spouses involves a separate application path, and we walk families through it directly.
Common VA Loan Myths Busted
The most common myth is that VA loans take longer to close than conventional loans. They do not, when handled by a lender who closes them regularly. Marylee routinely closes VA loans on the same 30-day timeline as any other purchase.
Another common myth is that sellers don't like VA offers. In a balanced market, well-written VA offers compete strongly — particularly with a respected local lender's pre-approval attached. A weak offer is a weak offer regardless of loan type, and a strong VA offer wins business every week in Utah.
There is a real consideration around VA appraisals. The VA requires the property to meet certain Minimum Property Requirements, and an inexperienced lender may flag avoidable issues. Marylee's team knows what triggers a problem in advance, so you don't waste time and money on the wrong house.
Finally, VA loans are reusable. Using your benefit once does not consume it forever. Entitlement can be restored when you sell the home, and many veterans use VA financing more than once across their lifetime.
Why Marylee Gilchrist at CrossCountry Mortgage
VA loans reward experience. Knowing how to read a Certificate of Eligibility, how to handle restored entitlement, how to manage VA appraisals, and how to communicate with the regional VA office all come from doing this work for years.
With Hill Air Force Base anchoring the Wasatch Front North, Marylee has closed VA loans for active duty service members, veterans, and surviving spouses across Utah for decades. The process is familiar — for her team, the title companies she works with, and the Realtors who refer their veteran clients.
If a previous lender turned your VA file away or made the process feel impossible, ask for a second look. Many of those files close cleanly when handled by the right team.
Ready to start your Utah home financing conversation?
Whether you're pre-approval shopping, refinancing, or building from the ground up — Marylee will walk you through your options personally.