If Veterans United or another big online lender turned you down, take a breath. That turndown is not the final word, because a different lender who does manual underwriting can often find a way to get your VA loan approved. I break it all down in my latest article. https://scarpero.com/what-to-do-if-you-are-turned-down-by-veterans-united-or-another-online-lender/

Most veterans assume a low credit score means a VA loan is out of reach. With manual underwriting, a real human underwriter looks at your whole financial picture instead of a computer rejecting you on your credit score alone, so you can still get approved even with bad credit. I wrote an article that breaks down exactly how it works. https://scarpero.com/va-manual-underwriting-your-key-to-va-home-loan-approval-if-you-have-bad-credit/

Here is something most veterans do not know: the VA does not set a minimum credit score for a home loan. Not by law, not by rule. Lenders can add their own credit overlays, but if you know how those overlays and manual underwriting work, you may still get approved with low credit. I break it all down here: https://scarpero.com/how-to-get-a-va-home-loan-with-bad-credit/

Here is a fact that surprises almost every veteran I talk to: the VA itself does not set a minimum credit score for a VA loan. Lenders layer their own minimums on top, and manual underwriting can even get a low-score borrower approved. I just published a full breakdown of how credit score requirements really work in 2026, plus what to do if your score is on the low side. Read it here: https://scarpero.com/va-loan-credit-score-requirements-2026/

I see collection accounts trip up VA buyers all the time, and most of the time it comes down to one simple rule that a lot of people get wrong.The VA counts 5 percent of your total collection balance divided by 12 months as a monthly debt against your income. That rule changed with Change 47, and knowing the actual rule can make or break your approval. I broke it all down in plain English here: https://scarpero.com/va-loan-collections-5-percent-divided-by-12-months/