Veteran Community Mortgage - Powered by Waterstone Mortgage

09/09/2026

Your home's price point is the real story right now, more than anything you're hearing in national headlines. Let's map out exactly where your house fits in this split market and build a pricing strategy that gets you the speed and price you're after.

Ask a couple people how the housing market is doing and you’ll probably get a couple different answers. That’s because right now, the market runs on 2 very different tracks, split by price point.

09/09/2026

A caveat that is wildly important for any veteran navigating the VA home loan process. Who you choose to work with matters enormously because of this one point.

Lenders put overlays on VA loans. That means a rule on top of a rule. The VA itself does not have a minimum credit score requirement. None. But lenders can and do set their own internal credit score minimums based on their own risk tolerance and their own money. You will hear lenders say they require 580, 600, 620, 640, and every number in between. That is entirely up to the individual lender.

Here is the red flag you need to know.

If you are talking to a loan officer or a real estate agent and you ask what credit score you need to qualify for a VA loan and they say the words the VA requires a certain score, that should stop you in your tracks.

The VA requires nothing on credit score. If someone uses that phrase they either do not understand the VA benefit at a deep level or they are being selfish and trying to keep you from shopping around by telling you that you do not qualify when you actually might qualify elsewhere.

A veteran with a 619 credit score could be told no by a lender with a 620 overlay and yes by a lender with a 580 overlay. Same loan. Same benefit. Different lender.

Knowing this protects you. Ask the right questions. Work with someone who actually knows the VA benefit inside and out.

Reach out anytime if you have questions about VA loan eligibility.

09/09/2026

4.75 star review received on Experience.com for Jason Stier by Keli A H - I was a first time homebuyer with no clue what to do. The team at Waterstone made it very easy to understand what they needed from me and gave clear, simple instructions as to what I needed to do. This kept my stress levels to a healthy minimum and now I'm a happy homeowne!!

Read more: https://experience.com/reviews/jason-stier-404047/d63676cb-3af1-42dc-baa1-608fa1bbe5ba?V=1788977448&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=autopost&utm_content=13615275

09/09/2026

Do 100% disabled Veterans pay property taxes?

Maybe - and that's exactly why you shouldn't assume.

Veteran property tax exemptions are generally determined at the state and local level. Disability status, residency, the property itself, and application requirements can all matter.

Texas, for example, offers significant property tax benefits to qualifying disabled Veterans, including a total homestead exemption for certain qualifying 100% disabled Veterans.

But that does NOT mean every 100% disabled Veteran everywhere automatically pays zero property taxes.

Don't get your Veteran benefit information from the comment section.

Verify your eligibility with your state's official Veterans affairs agency and your local taxing authority.

Watch the video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/IJHhMliw7cs

09/09/2026

If you're a disabled Veteran and own a home, check your property taxes.

Depending on your disability rating, where you live, and your local rules, you may qualify for a partial - or potentially even a full - property tax exemption.

The problem? I've met Veterans who owned homes for years and didn't even know this benefit existed.

These rules are not the same in every state. Don't assume you're receiving every benefit you've earned.

Check your state's official Veterans affairs agency and your local property tax authority.

You earned the benefit. At least find out if you qualify.

Follow VA Loan Boss for straight answers about Veteran benefits, military money, VA home loans, homeownership and building wealth.

Watch the video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/CD5BckaZzuA

09/09/2026

A mortgage strategy conversation that most loan officers are not having with their clients and it is costing veterans real money and real opportunities.

The house payment matters. The interest rate matters. Nobody is saying they do not. But when you are assessing someone's financial situation you have to look at their overall household debt picture not just the mortgage payment in isolation.

Here is a real example worth understanding.

A service member coming from Fort Campbell had $35,000 from the sale of his home. He also had a car loan with a $17,000 balance costing him nearly $700 a month.

The conventional wisdom most people have been conditioned to follow says take that $35,000 and put it toward the home. Down payment. That is what their parents told them. That is what feels normal and natural. And it is understandable.

But here is what the smarter strategy looked like in this situation.

Instead of applying that $35,000 to the down payment use it to pay off the car loan. That eliminates $700 a month in monthly household debt. Now the house payment that felt a little high suddenly becomes manageable. The buyer is $200 to the good on their monthly debt picture. And they get the house they actually want, one with the resale value and rentability that sets them up for the future.

That is not a linear conversation. It is a complete household financial picture conversation. And most people never have it.

If you have been told you cannot afford the payment you want it may be worth looking at the whole picture before assuming that is true.

Reach out and let's look at the full picture together.

09/07/2026

With remote work, where you live can be your decision instead of your employer's. And that puts more affordable places within reach.

Want to explore where that could take you? Let's connect.

For most first-time buyers, the hardest part of buying a home is making the numbers work. You budget, you save, and the finish line still feels far away.

09/04/2026

Do disabled veterans pay property taxes? The answer is not as simple as most people think and it is one of the most valuable and most misunderstood benefits available to some disabled veterans.

In Episode 4 of VA Truth, Jason Stier breaks it all down clearly.

Here is what the episode covers.

Why veteran property tax exemptions vary by state. A 100 percent VA disability rating does not automatically mean zero property taxes everywhere. The rules depend on where you live, your eligibility, your disability status, and your state and local taxing authority.

How these exemptions can affect your monthly housing costs. This matters more than most people realize when you are calculating what you can actually afford and what your real monthly payment looks like.

How an exemption may be treated during the mortgage process. This is a nuance that catches buyers off guard and understanding it early can save significant confusion at closing.

And most importantly the bigger financial strategy. How VA disability compensation, state veteran benefits, property tax exemptions, education benefits, and the VA home loan can work together to help veterans build a stronger financial future.

If you are active duty, Guard, Reserve, a veteran, a disabled veteran, or part of a military family this is the episode worth watching.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟰 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://youtu.be/9l2UVNW2a50

Important: property tax exemptions are state and local benefits. Eligibility, amounts, application requirements, and rules vary. Verify your specific situation with your state's official veterans affairs agency and your local property tax authority.

You earned the benefits. Let's make sure you are using them.

09/03/2026

A wealth-building strategy for veterans that most people never fully think through. And when you run the numbers it is hard to argue with.

Here is the scenario. You are a veteran. You use your VA loan benefit to buy a quadplex. You live in one unit for about a year. Then you move out and buy something else with your VA benefit again.

What you are left with is a quadplex you purchased with zero down payment. As a civilian that same purchase would have required 25 percent down. You skipped that entirely because you served.

Now you have four doors. Your tenants are paying your mortgage. The property is appreciating at roughly 3.5 to 4 percent per year. And you did not put a single dollar down to make it happen.

Now do that again. And again. Over a 20-year military career done strategically you could realistically accumulate 12 to 14 doors that cash flow, that appreciate, and that someone else is paying for through rent.

By the time you hit your 20-year mark and decide it is time to transition out you have built a portfolio from nothing. Not from a windfall. Not from extraordinary income. From a benefit you earned through your service used intelligently and repeatedly.

The honest caveat: rental properties come with risk. Vacancies happen. Repairs happen. This is not a guarantee and it requires real management and real planning. But the framework is real and the math works for the veterans who commit to the strategy.

Reach out and let's talk through what this could look like for your situation.

09/03/2026

Of course, every market moves a little differently. But here's what doesn't change: Fall consistently buyers. More homes. Lower asking prices. Motivated sellers.

If you’ve been waiting for your search to feel a little more doable, this season may be worth another look.

Let’s have a quick conversation about what's happening in our market and see whether this fall gives you opportunities you may not have had a few months ago.

You've been waiting for something to change before you buy. It just might not be the thing you expected…