Friendly and welcoming from day one — Molly says she was never afraid to ask a question, and Mel was easy to reach whenever the family needed her.
Molly M. · Wasilla, AKFamily purchase
VA loan specialist · AlaskaGot a mortgage question?
Got a mortgage question?
Just ask Money Mel.
Mel McFarland has been answering Alaska's home-loan questions since 2012 — VA loans especially. $0-down, no-PMI, PCS-timeline, "is this even possible?" questions. Text her. She answers.
★ 4.86 from 229 verified reviewsNMLS #729261Wasilla, AK · serving all of Alaska
Money Mel
Fairway Home Mortgage · usually replies in minutes
hey mel, do I really need a down payment for a VA loan? 🫡
Nope. With full VA entitlement it's $0 down and $0 monthly mortgage insurance. Want to see what that does to a payment?
yes! say the house is…
Est. principal & interest, $0 down$2,771/mo · PMI: $0 · down payment: $0
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VABusiness Development Manager
Meet Mel
The "Military Mortgage Mom" of the Mat-Su Valley
Mel McFarland is a Branch Sales Manager with Fairway Home Mortgage in Wasilla and Fairway's VA Business Development Manager — which is a long way of saying VA loans are her specialty, not a side dish. She's a VAREP member, an American Warrior Initiative real estate professional, and a three-time Five Star Mortgage Professional.
Before Alaska she spent years serving JBLM families in Washington, so PCS orders, BAH math, and "we close in 30 days and I'm still in Germany" are all familiar territory. She's licensed in Alaska, Washington, Montana and Hawaii, and she answers texts.
Your VA loan, step by step
Four moves from "I think I'm eligible" to keys in hand
You earned the benefit. Mel's job is to make sure you actually get to use it — without the runaround.
01
Confirm eligibility
Mel pulls your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) directly — usually in minutes. Active duty, veterans, Guard & Reserve, and eligible surviving spouses.
02
Get pre-approved
A real pre-approval with residual income done right, so your offer carries weight with Alaska sellers and agents.
03
Shop with confidence
VA appraisal, minimum property requirements, seller concessions — Mel coaches you and your agent so nothing surprises you under contract.
04
Close & move in
$0 down if you have full entitlement, no monthly mortgage insurance, and a closing timeline that respects your report date.
Why VA loans are worth the paperwork
Six things most buyers don't know about the VA loan
$0
down payment
With full entitlement there is no required down payment and no maximum loan amount set by VA — the lender decides based on your income and credit.
$0
monthly mortgage insurance
No PMI, no MIP — ever. That alone can be hundreds of dollars a month compared with FHA or low-down conventional.
4%
seller concessions allowed
Sellers can pay up to 4% of the price toward your costs on top of normal closing costs — Mel helps you negotiate for it.
∞
reusable benefit
Used VA before? You can use it again — and under some circumstances hold two VA loans at once. Ask Mel about entitlement restoration.
✓
assumable loan
A qualified buyer can assume your VA loan and its rate when you sell — a real selling point in a high-rate market.
IRRRL
streamline refinance
When rates drop, the VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan can lower your rate with minimal paperwork and often no appraisal.
General VA program characteristics as published by the Department of Veterans Affairs; eligibility, entitlement and loan amounts are determined per borrower. Not a commitment to lend.
Not military? Mel does those too.
Every loan program, explained like a friend would
Conventional Loans
The workhorse of home financing — flexible terms, competitive costs, and down payments as low as 3% for first-time buyers.
Learn more →FHA Loans
The first-time buyer favorite — 3.5% down, friendlier credit requirements, and forgiving guidelines for real-life finances.
Learn more →VA Loans
For those who served — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and some of the strongest terms in all of lending.
Learn more →USDA Loans
$0 down for homes in eligible smaller communities — much of Alaska outside Anchorage proper qualifies, and most buyers have no idea.
Learn more →Jumbo Loans
Financing above conforming loan limits for higher-priced homes — with the same guidance and straight answers.
Learn more →Alaska Buyer Assistance
Alaska has real help for qualified buyers — AHFC programs can reduce closing costs or your rate for first-time buyers, veterans and rural buyers.
Learn more →Refinancing
Lower the payment, drop mortgage insurance, tap equity, or shorten the term — when the math works, Mel will show you. When it doesn’t, she’ll tell you.
Learn more →No idea which one?
That's the most common question Mel gets. Text her your situation and she'll tell you which door to walk through.
Text Mel →Serving military families across Alaska & the Pacific Northwest
PCSing to Alaska? Mel's already been through it with hundreds of families.
JBER — Joint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonAnchorage, AK · Air Force · Army
Fort WainwrightFairbanks, AK · Army
Eielson Air Force BaseFairbanks North Star, AK · Air Force
Clear Space Force StationDenali Borough, AK · Space Force
Fort GreelyDelta Junction, AK · Army
USCG Base KodiakKodiak, AK · Coast Guard
JBLM — Joint Base Lewis-McChordTacoma, WA · Army · Air Force
I'm PCSing to JBER in 60 days and I'm still at Bragg. Can we do this remotely?
Absolutely — most of my military buyers close before they ever set foot in Alaska. E-sign, remote notary where allowed, and a POA if you're deployed. We've got this.
Real clients, real reviews
Five stars.4.86 across 229 verified reviews
Verified on Experience.com, Zillow, Facebook & Google — highlights paraphrased here, originals one click away.
Went in with no idea how home buying worked; came out feeling educated and empowered. Meagan credits Mel’s VA loan guidance and says she won’t use anyone else.
Meagan R. · AlaskaVA loan
When the appraisal came in low and the seller balked, Mel sat down with both sides and walked through every option until the deal held together.
Shawn D. · Palmer, AKNo-agent purchase
Moving from Georgia to Alaska with a time-zone gap — Mel laid out multiple options, explained the pros and cons plainly, and kept every step seamless.
Christopher B. · Wasilla, AKRelocating from GA
Extra care and constant communication — Kristina says Mel made her money work for her, not the other way around.
Kristina J. · Puyallup, WARefinance
Easy to talk to, explained each step and what came next — no surprises anywhere in the process.
Gregory C. · Wasilla, AKPurchase
Great communication and a knack for keeping everything on track and moving forward on time.
Jeshua L. · Spokane Valley, WAPurchase
Very friendly and willing to answer any and all questions quickly.
Kailea V. · Palmer, AKFirst home
Friendly and welcoming from day one — Molly says she was never afraid to ask a question, and Mel was easy to reach whenever the family needed her.
Molly M. · Wasilla, AKFamily purchase
Went in with no idea how home buying worked; came out feeling educated and empowered. Meagan credits Mel’s VA loan guidance and says she won’t use anyone else.
Meagan R. · AlaskaVA loan
When the appraisal came in low and the seller balked, Mel sat down with both sides and walked through every option until the deal held together.
Shawn D. · Palmer, AKNo-agent purchase
Moving from Georgia to Alaska with a time-zone gap — Mel laid out multiple options, explained the pros and cons plainly, and kept every step seamless.
Christopher B. · Wasilla, AKRelocating from GA
Extra care and constant communication — Kristina says Mel made her money work for her, not the other way around.
Kristina J. · Puyallup, WARefinance
Easy to talk to, explained each step and what came next — no surprises anywhere in the process.
Gregory C. · Wasilla, AKPurchase
Great communication and a knack for keeping everything on track and moving forward on time.
Jeshua L. · Spokane Valley, WAPurchase
Very friendly and willing to answer any and all questions quickly.
Kailea V. · Palmer, AKFirst home
No dumb questions
Plain-English answers to the stuff nobody explains
What's a funding fee? Does BAH count as income? Why does the VA appraisal care about peeling paint? Mel built a whole glossary — no email wall, no "book a call to find out."
Browse the glossary →does my BAH count as income for the loan? my CO said it doesn't
Your CO is a great CO but not a lender 😄 — yes, BAH counts as qualifying income, and because it's non-taxable we can often gross it up. Send me your LES and I'll show you.
Got a question? Just ask Money Mel.
No pressure, no jargon, no obligation — a straight answer from someone who has been doing this since 2012 and speaks fluent VA. Text, call, or apply whenever you’re ready.