{"version":"1.0","type":"stack","id":"7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2","url":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2","title":"VA Loans and Military Homebuying","description":"Retired Navy Senior Chief Chris Solis of ERA ONETEAM Realty used the same benefits he now helps Jacksonville-area service members and veterans use. From your Certificate of Eligibility to closing day across the Beaches, Mandarin, and Fleming Island, here's the VA loan explained straight.","privacy":"public","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:47:19.568Z","updated_at":"2026-07-17T09:16:07.290Z","author":{"username":"chrissolis","name":"Chris Solis","url":"https://stacklist.com/chrissolis","type":"person"},"category":{"id":"finance","name":"finance","url":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance"},"items":[{"id":"0954be51-466b-4010-9f19-487d98b4f459","position":1,"title":"VA Home Loans Program (Official)","url":"https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/","note":"The VA's official home loan hub and the starting point for any First Coast military buyer: no down payment, no PMI, competitive rates. The strongest homebuying benefit you earned in uniform.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/14e1c5b8-ce98-42c8-970e-1ee7ebe8822a/","alt":"VA Home Loans Program (Official)","width":638,"height":480},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=0954be51-466b-4010-9f19-487d98b4f459","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:05.363Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"eb18a634-fe5f-4b4f-8017-e739607f49f5","position":2,"title":"How to Request Your Certificate of Eligibility","url":"https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/how-to-request-coe/","note":"The COE is step one, proving to your lender you qualify. Request it online, by mail, or through your lender in minutes; have your DD214 ready.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/4814401b-c564-484e-ad97-3e85d62bb1aa/","alt":"How to Request Your Certificate of Eligibility","width":4104,"height":2736},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=eb18a634-fe5f-4b4f-8017-e739607f49f5","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:07.951Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"5d5a669e-a4dd-4d0d-88a9-bd1930380603","position":3,"title":"COE Evidence Requirements by Service Type","url":"https://benefits.va.gov/homeloans/purchaseco_certificate.asp","note":"Active duty, veteran, Guard, Reserve, and surviving spouses each have different documentation paths to the COE. This official page maps them all, worth five minutes before you apply.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/66d48485-372f-470f-8ac6-37aaee44268e/","alt":"COE Evidence Requirements by Service Type","width":4104,"height":2736},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=5d5a669e-a4dd-4d0d-88a9-bd1930380603","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:10.493Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"874978f1-fc11-43f6-bf6f-0abb4b23453d","position":4,"title":"Hometown Heroes: Stack It With Your VA Loan","url":"https://www.floridahousing.org/live-local-act/hometown-heroes-program","note":"Florida's program adds up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost help on top of a VA loan, and veterans are exempt from the first-time-buyer requirement. For a Mayport or NAS Jax family, that can mean keeping your savings intact at closing.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/d66757c2-0fd8-480f-b418-a48f6262737a/","alt":"Hometown Heroes: Stack It With Your VA Loan","width":992,"height":620},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=874978f1-fc11-43f6-bf6f-0abb4b23453d","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:11.682Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"43af3a0f-37d9-47dc-b283-46f792b35980","position":5,"title":"Free Homebuyer Counseling (HUD Florida)","url":"https://www.hud.gov/states/florida","note":"Free HUD-approved homebuyer education across Northeast Florida, useful for first-time military buyers working out BAH budgets, and required by some assistance programs. Jacksonville's HUD field office is downtown on West Bay Street.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/26f5d681-cd62-4937-8185-3469d7a64de3/","alt":"Free Homebuyer Counseling (HUD Florida)","width":3000,"height":2000},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=43af3a0f-37d9-47dc-b283-46f792b35980","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:13.072Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"d6710e66-39e7-49f1-ac04-aeb36b00ad2f","position":6,"title":"VA Form 26-1880 (COE Request)","url":"https://www.va.gov/forms/26-1880/","note":"The paper route for requesting a COE if you'd rather not apply online, though most Jacksonville buyers let their lender pull it electronically and skip the wait.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/cd3d347d-d296-4085-bba3-f88258b4989e/","alt":"VA Form 26-1880 (COE Request)","width":4592,"height":3448},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=d6710e66-39e7-49f1-ac04-aeb36b00ad2f","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:09.316Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"5aaa9e66-e5be-4dce-b2ef-ab840ec5806d","position":7,"title":"Check the Flood Zone Before You Buy (FEMA)","url":"https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search","note":"VA appraisals carry minimum property requirements, and near Mayport and the Beaches the flood zone shapes both approval and your insurance bill. Look up any address before writing the offer.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/9138a9e6-216c-4b7c-a35c-2524f9b2c05a/","alt":"Check the Flood Zone Before You Buy (FEMA)","width":6024,"height":4024},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=5aaa9e66-e5be-4dce-b2ef-ab840ec5806d","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:14.600Z","updated_at":null},{"id":"9e318735-ab96-4813-b1db-e3ecbfd26816","position":8,"title":"Veteran Property Tax Exemptions (Duval County)","url":"https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/property-appraiser/exemptions/disabled-veterans-exemption","note":"After closing, Jacksonville veterans with a 10%+ service-connected rating get $5,000 off assessed value, and 100% permanent-and-total veterans pay zero ad valorem property tax on their homestead. File with the Duval Property Appraiser by March 1.","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/7a81a9fa-1620-452c-97e5-a04800da5f94/","alt":"Veteran Property Tax Exemptions (Duval County)","width":4965,"height":3490},"direct_link":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2?cardId=9e318735-ab96-4813-b1db-e3ecbfd26816","created_at":"2026-07-16T07:48:16.108Z","updated_at":null}],"stats":{"likes_count":0,"items_count":8},"_links":{"self":"/api/public/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2.json","html":"https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2","rss":"/api/feeds/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2/rss","json_feed":"/api/feeds/stack/7a39ca11-3d49-4838-8b1d-5a4eabb6ecc2/json"}}