Yes. Sam Timlick is a Marine Corps veteran and VA loan specialist based in Johnson City, TN, serving veterans and active-duty military across the Tri-Cities — including those near the Mountain Home VA Medical Center. VA loans offer zero down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance for those who qualify. Call 253-431-2630.
Why it matters that I served
A lot of lenders do VA loans. Fewer understand them from the inside. I know what it feels like to sit across the table from someone who's never heard a DD-214 mentioned in conversation. I know the benefit you earned is more valuable than most veterans realize — and I know why so many end up not using it, or using it wrong.
That's the gap I fill. Not with a script, but because I've been there.
What the VA loan actually gives you
Things I watch for that other lenders skip
Your entitlement. Most veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit — zero-down buying power is set by what you qualify for, not a cap. If you've had a prior VA loan, your entitlement picture is more involved, and I walk through your Certificate of Eligibility with you line by line.
Your funding fee exemption. If you receive VA disability compensation, you pay no funding fee — which can save thousands. I verify your status on your COE before we go anywhere near closing costs.
Lender overlays. The VA sets minimum guidelines. Individual lenders add stricter rules on top. I know the difference between a VA rule and a lender rule — which means I can sometimes say yes where someone else said no.
The entitlement trap in assumptions. If you're selling a VA-financed home and a non-veteran assumes your loan, your entitlement stays tied up until that loan is fully paid off. I flag this before it becomes a problem for your next purchase.
Who this is for
Veterans buying their first home in the Tri-Cities. Veterans relocating here (Mountain Home VA, ETSU, or just putting down roots in East Tennessee). Veterans who've used the benefit before and want to use it again. Active-duty service members planning a purchase. Surviving spouses who may not know they're eligible.
If you served and you're thinking about buying — or you served and you already own a home with a VA loan — a quick conversation costs nothing and tells you exactly where you stand.