Veterans can buy a home more than four years sooner using a VA loan with zero down payment. A new study from Realtor.com finds 74% of first-time VA loan users put no money down.

Conventional buyers typically need a 12% down payment, which takes years to save. On a $430,000 home, that’s about $51,600 upfront.

For someone saving 15% of their income, it would take 4.4 years to accumulate that amount.

In high-cost cities like Los Angeles, VA loans can put veterans in a home up to 10 years sooner. Even in lower-cost cities like Akron, Ohio, it can shorten the time it takes to save for a down payment by about 3.3 years.

“For many veterans and service members, a VA loan can be a game changer,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “By removing the hurdle of a large down paymen

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