On October 18, 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released a comprehensive statistical report of its sixth National Survey of Veterans (NSV) entitled, National Survey of Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, Demobilized National Guard and Reserve Members, Family Members, and Surviving Spouses.
The NSV collected information on awareness, health care, education, employment, home loan, insurance, burial, and demographic information to help VA make policy decisions and improve benefits. This is the first time VA has included groups other than Veterans.
The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics also released updated tables showing the utilization of VA health care services, benefits programs, and burial and memorial benefits through Fiscal Year 2010.
The tables include statistics about service-connected disability compensation and patient expenditures, education benefits recipients, Veteran interments, and more.
VA Home Loans come under a rigorous statistic review, as well. You can download the Home Loans section or the entire survey from our library.
HIGHLIGHTS
- A higher percentage of Active Duty spouses who have ever had a home loan reported using the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program (78.9%) than Veteran spouses (56.7%) or Surviving spouses (51.3%).
- The most cited reasons in choosing a VA home loan were no down payment was required (49.8 percent of Veteran spouses and 36.5 percent of Surviving spouses) and there was a favorable interest rate (28.1 percent of Veteran spouses and 35.3 percent of Surviving spouses).
- Spouses who reported ever having had a home loan, but not a VA loan, were asked the main reason they had not used the VA Home Loan program. The most common response from Veteran spouses and Surviving spouses was that they did not know about the program (40.5% and 46.3%, respectively).
TABLES
The following is an extrapolation of statistical information from the survey's tables:
Obtained a Home Loan
Spouses were asked whether they had ever obtained a home loan. More than half of Veteran spouses (58.0%) and Active Duty spouses (59.4%) indicated that they had obtained a home loan at some point, along with 38.7 percent of Surviving spouses.
Lender Discussed VA Home Loan Options
Of those who remember, close to 39 percent of Veteran spouses and about 29 percent of Surviving spouses indicated that their lender had discussed the VA Home Loan Guaranty program as a loan option.
Home Loan Borrowers Reporting Ever Having VA Home Loan
More Active Duty spouses reported using the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program than Veteran spouses or Surviving spouses (78.9 percent compared with 56.7 percent and 51.3 percent, respectively).
How Long Ago Their Most Recent Home Loan Was Obtained
Spouses that ever had a VA home loan were asked how long ago it was obtained. The most frequent response was "More than 20 years ago" by 42.5 percent of Veteran spouses and just over 67 percent of Surviving spouses.
When Used Home Loan Program
Of spouses who indicated they had ever used the VA Home Loan Guaranty program, 86.3 percent of Surviving spouses indicated they obtained it after active duty, as did 75.3 percent of Veteran spouses.
Most Important Reasons in Choosing a VA Home Loan
Spouses that ever had a VA home loan indicated the most important reasons for using it, with the most frequently cited reasons including:
No down payment required:
-Veteran spouse (49.8%)
-Surviving spouse (36.5%)
-Veteran spouse (49.8%)
-Surviving spouse (36.5%)
Favorable interest rate:
-Veteran spouse (28.1%)
-Surviving spouse (35.3%)
-Veteran spouse (28.1%)
-Surviving spouse (35.3%)
Reason for Not Using VA Home Loan Program
Spouses who ever had a home loan but not a VA loan were asked the main reason they did not use a VA home loan. More than 40 percent of Veteran spouses and 46.3 percent of Surviving spouses indicated they "Did not know about the program." Also commonly cited was that a conventional FHA mortgage was easier or less expensive to obtain (27.3 percent of Veteran spouses responded this way, as did 21.5 percent of Surviving spouses).
LIBRARY
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
National Survey of Veterans,
Active Duty Service Members,
Demobilized National Guard and Reserve Members,
Family Members, and Surviving Spouses
National Survey of Veterans,
Active Duty Service Members,
Demobilized National Guard and Reserve Members,
Family Members, and Surviving Spouses
VA Home Loans Section
October 18, 2011
