Can the President Use the VA loan?

Ever wondered if the president, the big cheese, the commander in chief, can snag a home with a sweet 0 percent down deal after they’re done with the Oval Office? We dove into this intriguing question, and the answer might surprise you!

Now, for those of you in the military, you might be familiar with the fantastic VA loan. It’s like the golden ticket of home loans, allowing you to drop a down payment, get a competitive interest rate, and skip the whole private mortgage insurance fuss. Sounds like a dream, right?

The natural assumption might be that the president, being the head honcho of the military, could roll out of the White House and into a new home with the same sweet deal. But, hold your horses, because reality hits a bit differently.

While the president is indeed the commander in chief, they can’t just waltz into the world of VA loans post-presidency unless they’ve actually served in the military. 

The president, despite being the big boss, isn’t technically active duty military or directly employed by the military. So, they miss out on the perks of accruing the necessary time for a VA loan. We did some digging, called up the local VA regional center to unravel the mystery, but it turns out the answer isn’t as straightforward as we’d hoped.

The presidency is essentially a civilian government position. And guess what? Government civilians don’t get to use the VA loan unless they’ve clocked some time in military service. That means active duty for 90 days, or some Guard Reserve action, or a solid six years of service. It’s not a walk in the park, huh?

So, what about our current resident of the White House, President Biden? Well, he might not be scoring that 0 percent down deal because he didn’t serve in the military. Same goes for Trump and a bunch of others. In fact, you’d have to look way back to find a president who could potentially cash in on a VA loan. Think George Bush, the elder one, Reagan, and a few others who had their military stripes.

So, there you have it! Can the president really buy a home with 0 percent down? It’s less about being the commander in chief and more about their military service outside of that role. A quirky little tidbit about the perks (or lack thereof) post-presidency. Stay curious, my friends, and take care!

Hope this helps! 🏡