For 35 years, the Sacdalans were renters. Three and a half decades of leases, landlords, and living by other people's rules. So when they finally closed on their first home, a quiet place on a hilltop in Alabama, it was a relief. Asked how it felt, their answer was simple. "Like just taking a deep breath."

Shara, the Veteran in the family, earned the benefit that made it possible during her years of Navy service, stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines. The Sacdalans' story answers a question many older Veterans might consider: is it too late to use the VA home loan benefit I earned decades ago? The answer is no. The VA home loan benefit does not expire, and for this family it was still there, waiting, when the timing was finally right. 

What follows is how they got from a stressful rental to a home of their own: a marriage that began overseas, a recommendation from their son, a search that took three tries, a VA loan that required nothing down, and the NewDay Home Advantage Loan, which kept their savings intact at closing.

A Marriage That Began at Subic Bay

Shara's road to this hilltop started long before Alabama, on a U.S. base half a world away. She served four years in the Navy, stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines, working as an administrative assistant in the post office. Benjamin was a local musician who sang in a band there. They met, they married, and when Shara's service ended she brought him home to the United States, where he later became a naturalized citizen. Thirty-eight years later they are still together, and now, for the first time, they own the roof over their heads.

After her service, Shara built a career in healthcare, eventually becoming a director of medical records. Her work carried the couple from Wisconsin, where she earned her degree, to Georgia, and finally to Alabama, to the community they now call home.

A Long Wait for a Place of Their Own

Even with two careers and decades in the country, homeownership stayed out of reach for a long time. The money was not always there. "We just weren't financially in the right spot for it back then," the Sacdalans recalled. Years earlier, in Wisconsin, they had even started down this road, confirming Shara's VA home loan eligibility, but without the income and credit history to follow through, the moment passed.

Renting also took its toll. Their most recent situation had grown noisy and stressful, and renting carries a particular fatigue: every move comes with the knowledge that another is coming, that the home is never truly yours. Later in life, on far steadier footing, the couple decided they were finished waiting.

A Nudge From Their Son

The push came from their son, also a Veteran, had recently bought a house of his own, and he had financed it through New Day. He told his parents how it went and pointed them toward the same path. One Veteran helping another, across the kitchen table rather than a sales floor.

For the Sacdalans, their son's experience was the proof they needed that the benefit was real and the process was within reach.

Third Time Was the Charm

The road to the right house had a few detours. Their first choice fell apart after a rough inspection. They lost the second to a higher bid. The third is the one they now call home, and they have no regrets about how it shook out. "It turned out to be a better choice, way better," the Sacdalans said.

The house sits up on a hill with a view, in a quiet neighborhood, roomy without being too much to manage. The sellers turned out to be, as the Sacdalans put it, "really good people," even taking care of some repairs before the keys changed hands. After three and a half decades of renting, they did not just have a home. They had the right one.

How the VA Loan and the Home Advantage Loan Worked Together

The foundation of the purchase was the VA home loan benefit Shara earned through her service. It is one of the most valuable tools available to those who served, and for this family a few of its features did the heavy lifting.

  • No down payment. The VA guarantees part of the loan, which in most cases lets eligible buyers purchase with nothing down, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • No monthly mortgage insurance. A VA purchase loan carries no monthly mortgage insurance, which keeps the payment lower than many other low down payment options.
  • A one-time funding fee. Most borrowers pay a VA funding fee that can be rolled into the loan, and Veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability are often exempt.
  • A Certificate of Eligibility. Lenders confirm the benefit through a Certificate of Eligibility, which a VA-approved lender can usually pull quickly.

Taken together, those terms are rare. Most low down payment loans add monthly insurance that inflates the bill for years, while the VA benefit was built to do the opposite for the people who served.

Covering Closing Costs Without Draining Savings

A VA loan answers the down payment question, but closing costs still come due, and for many buyers that is the real obstacle. This is where the NewDay Home Advantage Loan came in. It is a companion personal loan, separate from the mortgage, designed to cover upfront closing costs so a Veteran does not have to pull the money out of savings. For the Sacdalans, it meant reaching the closing table without emptying their accounts. "No closing cost," as they put it.

A Benefit With No Expiration Date

Years earlier in Wisconsin, the family had confirmed Shara's eligibility but could not act on it. That delay turned out not to matter. The VA home loan benefit carries no time limit. Congress removed any expiration on the entitlement decades ago, which is why Veterans who earned the benefit long ago can still put it to use today. For a couple who waited thirty-five years, that detail made all the difference.

"Holding Our Hand the Whole Way"

Ask the Sacdalans what stood out about the process, and the answer is about people, not paperwork. From the first conversation through closing, they felt guided rather than processed. "There was somebody helping us through the whole process, kind of like holding our hand along the whole way, and teaching us what we needed to learn," they said.

That someone was Chris, their New Day loan officer, along with the broader team and their real estate agent. For buyers stepping into an unfamiliar process after a lifetime of renting, a steady guide makes the difference between overwhelming and doable. Their verdict was short and warm. "I give you guys 100 percent."

Paying It Forward to Other Veterans

Now that they are on the other side of it, the Sacdalans have turned into something of a one-family referral service. They talk about telling other Veterans they know to look into New Day and the VA benefit they earned through service. What strikes them most is how many Veterans they meet who do not know the benefit is theirs to use, or who assume they would not qualify. They have made it a personal mission to set them straight.

The Sacdalans' Path to Homeownership, Step by Step

 

 

  • Shara served four years in the Navy, stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines, where she met Benjamin and later brought him home to the United States.

 

  • The couple rented for about 35 years while careers, schooling, and finances kept homeownership on hold.

 

  • Years earlier in Wisconsin, they confirmed Shara's VA eligibility but were not yet in a position to buy.

 

  • On steadier financial footing later in life, they decided the time was right.

 

  • Heard about New Day from their son, also a Veteran, who had recently bought his own home with the lender.

 

  • Worked through two near misses: a failed inspection on the first choice and a lost bidding war on the second.

 

  • Found the right home on a quiet hilltop in Alabama.

 

  • Used Shara's VA home loan benefit to buy with no down payment.

 

  • Used the NewDay Home Advantage Loan to cover closing costs and protect their savings.

 

  • Closed with the guidance of their loan officer, Chris, and moved into their first home together.