Book excerpt: In 1944, Congress created the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, later to be known as the G.I. Bill. The G.I. Bill provided an extensive collection of government-sponsored benefits to help returning soldiers better acclimate to civilian life after World War II and as a big "thank you" for their service to their country. Without a doubt, the veteran's home loan entitlement program is the most widely-used VA benefit available today, with more than 20 million home loans insured by the Department of Veteran's Affairs since the program's inception. The VA home loan provides qualifying veterans, service members and reservists financing to buy a house with no money down and reduced closing costs with the lowest delinquency rate of any mortgage program in the market today. Yet despite its advantages, many lenders and eligible borrowers shun the VA program due to its perceived complexity. Even the eligible borrowers that truly want the VA loan can find themselves cajoled into other, more familiar loan programs from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and even the FHA loan program. The VA loan program does indeed have its own internal approval guidelines but they're not a mystery and lenders who tend to shy away from offering the VA loan are doing a disservice to those who qualify. VA loans are quite easy to both approve and qualify for but the process takes a slightly different path than other programs. That's why lenders who specialize in VA loans capture a greater market share and dominate the VA home loan marketplace. This book, The Ultimate Guide to VA Home Loans provides frank, easy to follow advice for those seeking their first or their final VA loan. From a thorough explanation on qualifying, credit and finances to describing the simple pleasures of home ownership, the author provides an invaluable contribution to his fellow veterans with his first book. For those planning to use their VA home loan benefit, reading this book is the very first step toward a owning their very own home.