Being eligible for a Veteran Mortgage through the Department of Veterans Affairs and being qualified are different. Qualification requires that a lender assess your income, debts and credit history in order to approve you.  Pre-Qualification from a lender only takes a few minutes, and they will be able to tell you if you are qualified, and for up to what amount. Getting pre-qualified before shopping for a home is highly recommended. Real estate agents and sellers will most likely want a pre-qualification letter from a lender before entering in to a purchase contract with you.