WASHINGTON (March 17, 2022) – RealEstateRama – The National Association of Realtors®, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has released a two-part educational video series on the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, designed to help Realtors® better serve veteran and active duty homebuyers achieving homeownership with VA loans.
For these discussions, 2022 NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith is joined by John Bell III, Acting Executive Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Loan Guaranty Service, and Mark Worrilow, licensed broker at Fathom Realty’s Prince William-Fairfax office in Virginia and instructor for NAR’s Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification.
Part One: VA Loans 101 explores the advantages of the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program and how Realtors® can help veteran homebuyers successfully use VA loans. Part Two: Reducing Barriers for VA Borrowers examines misconceptions about the program and solutions to challenges experienced by Realtors®, buyers, and sellers.
The videos are available at NAR.realtor/veterans-affairs.
“Veterans and servicemembers face unique challenges when purchasing a home, especially in this strong housing market,” said Rouda Smith, a Realtor® from Plano, Texas, and broker associate at Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate in Dallas. “NAR is pleased to provide this two-part video series on the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program to help our members navigate the process and maximize its benefits for homebuyers. We will continue to work with the VA and policymakers to make the path to homeownership easier for those who have selflessly served our country.”
“The Department of Veterans Affairs remains steadfast with our Home Loan Guaranty Program being the product of choice for Veterans seeking homeownership,” said John Bell III. “We were glad to sit down with the National Association of Realtors® to discuss how to remove barriers and eliminate misperceptions about the program to better serve Veterans pursuing that goal.”
In December, Rouda Smith and Bell testified before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. During the hearing “Removing Barriers to Veteran Homeownership,” Rouda Smith highlighted the importance of strengthening the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program and outlined solutions proposed by Realtors® to afford every veteran the opportunity to build wealth through homeownership.
Realtors® can obtain the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification to better prepare them to work with U.S. servicemembers, their families, and veterans. The program educates Realtors® on how to help military homebuyers find the best housing solutions to meet their needs and take full advantage of available benefits.
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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Media Contact: Emily Newman 202-383-1287
