when you can buy property for no money down, you probably shouldn't.

Thanks for the "probably" there. I am not actually in the market, but I have seen properties that mortgage+taxes+maintenance would come to less than the $800/mo rent I pay, and since that comes from $1680/mo income I have no money to pay anything down - or even move to a cheaper apartment since for anything decent there is a two-month payment due in advance. Yeah, I could probably save about $40/mo by dropping from cable [or DSL] internet (note - I do NOT have cable TV, just web) to dial-up. So in fifty years, I might have down-payment funds...

I've never put money down on a house and I used my VA loan. Never had a problem. The trick is that you should never buy something you can't afford, and not avoid buying something just because someone says it breaks a rule.