The VA home loan has been around since 1944 and has helped fund more than 28 million home purchases. Yet according to a national survey cited by Realtor.com, only one-third of Veterans and active-duty service members know they can use that benefit to buy with no down payment.
The rest either think they still need 20% down, assume they don’t qualify, or have never had anyone walk them through how the VA loan actually works.
Meanwhile, rising costs keep raising the stakes: the median down payment for U.S. homebuyers is now above $24,000, while roughly 75% of VA buyers who use the program purchase with 0% down.
In other words, a group that has earned a powerful benefit faces a market where that benefit matters more than ever—and two-thirds don’t realize what it can do.
That is the gap Mission Zero is trying to close.
VA Loans Can Cut the Wait by 4.4 Years
That missed awareness isn’t just unfortunate, it’s measurable. A new analysis from Realtor.com and the National Association of Realtors (based on the 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers) shows that first-time VA buyers can move into homeownership on average 4.4 years sooner than conventional-loan buyers.
The headline numbers:
- 74% of first-time VA loan users put 0% down, versus a 12% median down payment for first-time conventional buyers.
- On a typical $430,000 home, a conventional buyer would need about $51,600 upfront that a VA borrower would not. Using a median income of $78,700 and a 15 % savings rate, that translates to ≈ 4.4 years of waiting.
- If the savings rate drops to 10%, the time extends to ~6.6 years; at 20%, it shrinks to ~3.3 years.
That means VA loan users can start building equity years sooner, skipping the long savings timeline that keeps many would-be buyers renting.
As Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale explains:
“For many Veterans and service members, a VA loan can be a game changer. By removing the hurdle of a large down payment, these loans open doors to homeownership and financial security years sooner.”
Where VA Loans are Utilized Most
The new Realtor.com analysis highlights an interesting divide.
In high-cost metros like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and New York, VA loan use remains surprisingly low. Co-op restrictions and limited awareness are part of the problem.
For example:
- Los Angeles: VA buyers reach homeownership 10 years sooner, yet the city has one of the lowest utilization rates nationwide
- New York City: VA loans save buyers 6.5 years on average, but only 3.8 VA-financed sales per 1,000 military households occur
- Boston, San Diego, and Oxnard, CA: Each see savings of 6 to 7.5 years sooner, yet still lag in VA usage
In contrast, military hubs lead the way:
- Colorado Springs, CO: 43 VA-financed sales per 1,000 military households
- Virginia Beach, VA: 42 per 1,000
- Both cities show high awareness and strong adoption
Nationwide, the average VA loan utilization rate across markets sits at 15 per 1,000 military households, showing room for growth, especially in high-cost and co-op-heavy regions where Veterans could benefit most.
Mission Zero: Closing the Awareness Gap
To address that knowledge gap, Realtor.com launched Mission Zero two years ago in partnership with Veterans United. The campaign aims to ensure every Veteran and active-duty service member knows they can buy a home with no money down.
Mission Zero’s core message: “Nothing should stand between Veterans and home, especially a down payment.”
Chris Birk, Vice President of Mortgage Insight at Veterans United, summed it up:
“When Veterans understand the power of their VA loan, they can start building equity and stability for their families years sooner.”
Mission Zero focuses on knowledge, and that’s critical. But once a Veteran knows they can buy, the next question many ask is: “Where should I go?”
Where Veterans Thrive: Veterans United’s Best Cities List
To answer that, Veterans United ranked more than 600 metros across 23 factors grouped into financial well-being, community support, healthcare/facilities, and infrastructure/quality of life, weighted by what Veterans say matters most (from cost of living and taxes to access to care and air quality).
Top 10 overall metros from the latest list:
- Myrtle Beach–Conway–North Myrtle Beach, SC: Strong community, coastal living, and favorable tax policies
- Atlantic City–Hammonton, NJ: Top-ranked infrastructure and Veteran-friendly tax benefits
- Lawrence, KS: Excellent healthcare access and a modest cost of living
- Sioux Falls, SD–MN: Exceptional medical access and no state income tax
- Battle Creek, MI: Leading in community support and affordability
- Decatur, IL: Ranked No. 1 in financial well-being for low cost of living
- Cleveland, OH: Large Veteran population with strong hospitals and tax relief
- Altoona, PA: High Veteran density and balanced affordability
- Rapid City, SD: High community engagement and easy access to nature
- Lawton, OK: Military-anchored, highly affordable, and generous Veteran tax exemptions
Agent Playbook: Turn National Insights into Local Impact
The national campaign creates awareness. Your role is to localize it and make it actionable. Here are practical ways to do that.
- Add one simple intake question. Train yourself and your team to always ask, “Have you or a spouse ever served in the military?” That one question can unlock a completely different financing path.
- Build a VA 101 section into your buyer presentation. Dedicate one slide to zero down VA benefits, another to myths versus facts, and a third to what the process looks like when they work with you and your preferred VA lender.
- Partner with a lender who does VA all day, not once in a while. You want someone who lives this product and can quickly clarify eligibility, funding fees, and local appraiser timelines.
- Use Mission Zero content in your marketing. Share short clips, graphics, and co-brandable assets, then add your commentary, local stats, or a quick example of how you helped a Veteran buy with little or no money down.
- Host a “Zero Down for Veterans” info session. This could be a live webinar with your lender partner or a small in-person event with local Veteran organizations. The call to action is simple: verify eligibility and map out a buying plan.
- Audit your database and sphere. Run a list of past clients and leads who are Veterans or active duty. Send them a short video or email explaining the “one third of Veterans” stat and inviting them to talk through their options.
If you can keep even one client from spending years saving up 20% when they already earned a zero down path to homeownership, you’re not just doing good work. You’re building a reputation as the agent who actually understands what Veterans have earned and how to help them use it.
