VA Loans · For Those Who Served
The VA loan is one of the strongest benefits earned through military service: no down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive rates. Here's how it works for Texas veterans, active-duty members, and surviving spouses.
The basics
A VA loan is a mortgage guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and made by private lenders. The VA's guaranty lets lenders offer terms most buyers can't get anywhere else — most notably, a true 0% down payment on a primary residence and no monthly mortgage insurance, ever.
That combination is powerful. Skipping the down payment removes the single biggest barrier to buying, and dropping monthly mortgage insurance keeps your payment lower than a comparable FHA or low-down conventional loan. VA loans also tend to be more forgiving on credit and offer some of the most competitive rates available.
The benefit is earned through service and, in most cases, reusable for life — you can use it again on future homes, and eligible surviving spouses may qualify too. Texas is home to a large veteran community, and VA loans are one of the most valuable tools we help borrowers here put to work.
Best suited for
✓ Eligible veterans and active-duty service members
✓ National Guard and Reserve members who qualify
✓ Eligible surviving spouses
✓ Buyers who want to skip the down payment
✓ Anyone avoiding monthly mortgage insurance
Eligibility
VA eligibility is about service history first, then standard credit review. Here's the shape of it — we'll help you confirm the details and pull your COE.
Know your benefit
The VA loan carries features no other program matches. Understanding them helps you use the benefit fully — and more than once.
On a primary residence within your entitlement, you can finance 100% of the purchase price. The guaranty replaces the need for a down payment.
Unlike FHA and low-down conventional loans, VA loans never carry monthly mortgage insurance — a meaningful monthly savings for the life of the loan.
In place of monthly insurance, most VA loans include a one-time fee that can be rolled into the loan. For a purchase with no money down it is 2.15% on first use and 3.3% on subsequent use, dropping to 1.5% with 5% down and 1.25% with 10% down. An IRRRL streamline refinance is just 0.5%. Veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation, surviving spouses receiving DIC, and Purple Heart recipients are exempt entirely.
The benefit isn't one-and-done. Once a prior VA loan is paid off (or with remaining entitlement), you can use it again — and often have more than one consideration at a time.
VA purchases require a VA appraisal confirming value and Minimum Property Requirements for safety and livability. It protects you as much as the lender.
Already have a VA loan? The Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan lets you refinance to a lower rate with reduced documentation and no new appraisal in many cases.
This page is reviewed by Jonathan Sarver, a licensed Texas loan officer. Have a question about your specific situation in Austin or the Hill Country? Reach out directly — a real person, licensed in Texas, will answer.
Answers
Yes. For a primary residence within your available entitlement, a VA loan finances 100% of the purchase price with no down payment required — one of the only true zero-down programs available.
No monthly mortgage insurance, ever. Instead, most VA loans include a one-time funding fee that can be financed into the loan. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation and certain others are typically exempt from the fee.
Eligibility is based on your service history and confirmed by a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Veterans, many active-duty service members, qualifying National Guard and Reserve members, and some surviving spouses may be eligible. We help you obtain your COE and confirm your entitlement.
Yes. The VA loan benefit is reusable. Once a previous VA loan is paid off you can restore full entitlement, and in many cases you can use remaining entitlement for another loan without paying off the first.
It is a one-time fee that sustains the program in place of monthly mortgage insurance, and it can be financed into the loan. On a purchase with no down payment it is 2.15% for first-time use and 3.3% for subsequent use; putting 5% down drops it to 1.5%, and 10% down to 1.25%. A VA streamline refinance (IRRRL) is only 0.5%. Veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation, surviving spouses receiving DIC, and Purple Heart recipients pay nothing — we confirm exemption status on every VA file.
Thank you for your service
Let's confirm your eligibility and get you pre-approved — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, from a licensed Texas loan officer.
Start my VA pre-approvalThis is not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval, income and asset verification, and property appraisal. Rates and terms vary and are not guaranteed.