The Loan Officer works for them, not the other way around. At any time during the process of completing the application and closing of escrow, the client – if they want – can find someone else to work with. I don’t want to sound like VA loan officers have no value or bring nothing to the table, its just good to understand what my responsibility is – WHICH IS HELPING THE SOLDIER/VETERAN! Without them I cannot put food on the table, but they can still get a VA loan without me.

I hope that did not sound like a rant, I just want to get the point across of how important the Veteran is.

There are many ways that I can show appreciation for Veterans and Soldiers buying homes. Let me list some of what I have done:

1. Give them the service they deserve. When talking with them on the phone or in person be sure to thank them for their military service. Sometimes address them using their Rank – this shows respect. Be prompt in your timelines and expectations.

2. Offer the best rates. Be competitive in the marketplace. Veterans and Soldiers will know if you are giving them higher VA interest rates and higher fees. I’m not suggesting doing the loan for free, but don’t “stick it” to them either. Trying to back pedal after you’ve been “caught” offering a bad deal is not a fun situation to be in.

3. Communicate. This is key. The best clients I have are the ones where I talk with them about the process of buying a home. I always try to educate Veterans or Active Military. Before closing explain to them how the final settlement statement looks and if there are any changes regarding rates, fees etc. NEVER DO A BAIT AND SWITCH!

4. Give them something of value. This is not too much to ask. Something simple like a Home Depot gift card or a house warming gift. The most recent purchase I did was here locally in UT. There were some speed bumps along the way to say the least. At the closing table I brought in a gift basket full of over the counter medicine as a joke. I also had some dish towels for the wife. They did not expect this, but they were very grateful because it was going above and beyond the call of duty.

5. Follow up. After the dust settles and your clients have moved in or completed their refinance, call them and ask how they like their new home or lower monthly payments. Send them birthday cards or Holiday cards.

In order to be successful in this business, you must always show your Veteran/ Active military clients that you care and appreciate them. Before you know it they will be sending referrals to you and that’s when you know you have created a business partner for life.

A way for many Americans to show their support for the troops and those that are out there risking their lives for our country is to donate to the different charities. Here are the top five charities for military.

1. The Fisher House Foundation

The Fisher House Foundation program is a private-public partnership that supports America’s military in their time of need. They provide a program that recognizes the sacrifices of those in military service by meeting a humanitarian need that is beyond what is normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center. They help families in need, making sure that they provided with comfortable homes and a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 10,000 families, and they have made nearly 2.5 million days of lodging available to family members since they started the program in 1990.

2.  Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, founded in 1904, operates nearly 250 offices at Navy and Marine Corps bases throughout the world. Their mission is to provide financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval Services, as well as, eligible family members, and survivors. They are committed to ensure that all available resources are used to assist personnel of the Naval Services, whether they are active or retired, to achieve the financial self-sufficiency that they need.

3.  Special Operations Warrior Foundation

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation, founded in 1980, provides support and assistance to the U. S. military’s special operations community. Their mission includes two major aspects in support of special operations personnel: providing a full college education to the surviving children of those who lose their lives while serving in the U.S. military special operations community, and also providing immediate financial assistance and support to ensure that severely wounded personnel are able to have their loved ones at their bedside during recovery.

4.  National Military Family Association

The National Military Family Association was organized in 1969 as the National Military Wives Association by a group of wives and widows seeking financial security for survivors of uniformed service personnel and retirees. They developed the Survivor Benefit Plan and been in the vanguard of advocacy for improvements in the quality of military family life. The name of the organization was changed, replacing the word “wives” with “family,” in 1984 to reflect the broad scope of their involvement.

 5.  Protect Our Troops

ProtectOurTroops.org was started in 2009 and is a brand new charity.  Protect our Troops is currently working on establishing its 501c3 status and looks forward to assisting as many military families as possible.  P.O.T was started for soldiers by soldiers when its founder realized during his time in the army national guard that there was a major need for home security and protection for the loved ones of military families nationwide.  It is the goal of P.O.T to bring free security protection to every deployed troop and his or her family.