How Much VA Loan Do I Qualify For?

Find out how much you can borrow with a VA loan. Determine your loan eligibility (including maximum amount) and how to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility.

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How Much House Can I Afford?

One of the first things you’ll need to figure out is how much house you can afford. This will help you determine what kind of loan you can qualify for and how much house you can afford. There are a few things you’ll need to take into account when determining how much house you can afford. This section will cover all of the factors you’ll need to consider.

Calculate Your Debt-to-Income Ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward paying your debts. It’s important to calculate your DTI because lenders use it to decide how much house you can afford and how likely you are to be able to make your monthly mortgage payments.

To calculate your DTI, add up all of your monthly debts (including your estimated mortgage payment) and divide it by your gross monthly income. For example, if your monthly debts are $2,000 and your monthly income is $6,000, then your DTI would be 33%.

Most lenders prefer that your DTI not exceed 36%, with no more than 28% of that debt going toward servicing your mortgage. If you have a high DTI, you may still be able to qualify for a loan – but you may have to make a larger down payment or find a cosigner.

The 28/36 Rule

In order to qualify for a loan, you’ll need to prove that you can afford the monthly payments. Most lenders use the 28/36 rule as a guideline for affordability. This rule states that your monthly housing costs (mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and condo fees, if applicable) should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income. Additionally, your total debt obligations (housing costs plus any other recurring debts such as car payments, credit card bills, and student loans) should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income. Keep in mind that these are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. Some lenders may be willing to work with you if your housing costs exceed 28% of your income or if your total debt exceeds 36%, but they’ll likely charge you a higher interest rate to do so.

How Much of a Down Payment Do I Need?

When it comes to a VA loan, the Department of Veterans Affairs guarantees a portion of the loan, making it easier for lenders to offer financing to veterans. Because of this, VA loans usually come with more favorable terms, such as a lower interest rate and no down payment.

The Minimum Down Payment

The minimum down payment for a VA home loan is 3.5%. However, borrowers with a credit score of 580 or above can qualify for a 100% financing, which means they won’t have to make a down payment at all.

For borrowers with credit scores between 500 and 579, the minimum down payment is 10%. VA loans are one of the few remaining 100% financing options in the US mortgage market. But even with the minimum down payment, you’ll need to have enough money saved up to cover Closing Costs, which can range from 2-5% of the loan amount.

The Average Down Payment

One of the biggest questions homebuyers have is how much of a down payment they need to make on a new house. The average down payment is 10%, but VA loans allow qualified buyers to put down as little as 0%. There are also some conventional loan products that allow for as little as 3% down.

For most homebuyers, the biggest challenge in buying a new house is often saving up for the down payment. Lenders typically like to see borrowers with a down payment of at least 10%, but there are some programs that allow for less. For example, the VA loan program offers 100% financing, which means you can buy a house with no money down if you qualify. There are also some conventional loan products that allow for as little as 3% down.

If you’re not sure how much of a down payment you can afford, there are several online calculators that can help you figure it out. Once you know how much you’ll need to save, set up a budget and start setting aside money each month until you reach your goal.

How to Get Money for a Down Payment

The size of your down payment on a house depends on several factors, the biggest being how much money you have in savings. Another factor is your credit score—the higher it is, the more likely you are to be approved for a loan with a low interest rate. The type of loan also affects the size of your down payment. For example, most conventional loans require a minimum of 5 percent down, whereas some government-backed loans may allow you to put as little as 3 percent down.

If you don’t have enough money saved for a down payment, there are a few options you can explore. You may be able to get help from family or friends, or you could look into government programs that can assist with the purchase of a home. You could also consider taking out a personal loan to cover the cost of your down payment. Whatever route you decide to take, be sure to do your research and compare different options before making a decision.

How Much Does a VA Loan Cost?

The Funding Fee

The funding fee for VA home loans is a one-time payment made directly to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The fee is determined by your loan amount, your veteran status and if you’re making a down payment.

For regular military borrowers with no down payment, the current funding fee is 2.3 percent of the loan amount. That means on a typical $200,000 loan, you would pay $4,600 in funding fees. This can be added to your loan balance or paid in cash at closing.

If you are a reservist or National Guard member, the funding fee is slightly higher at 2.4 percent of the loan amount. On a $200,000 loan, this would come out to $4,800 in fees.

If you are making a conventional down payment of at least five percent, the funding fee drops to 1.65 percent for both regular military and reservists/National Guard members. On a $200,000 loan with a five percent down payment ($10,000), your funding fee would be just $3,300 — that’s a savings of more than $1,200!

The good news is that the funding fee is often rolled into your loan amount so you don’t have to pay it out of pocket at closing time. And if you do have to pay it upfront, most lenders will allow you to finance it so you don’t have to come up with the cash all at once.

Mortgage Insurance

Mortgage insurance is required on all VA loans, unless 20% equity can be proven in the home. This could either be from the original purchase price or as the result of home value appreciation. Mortgage insurance protects the lender in case of default on a VA loan.

For loans closed on or after January 1, 2014, there is an upfront funding fee charged by the Veterans Administration. This fee can be paid in cash at closing, or it can be rolled into the loan amount. The upfront fee is currently 2.3% of the loan amount for first-time use of your entitlement, and 3.6% for subsequent use of your entitlement.

There is also an annual premium charged on all VA loans, which is currently 0.5% of the outstanding loan balance. This premium is broken up into 12 monthly payments and included in your mortgage payment.

How Much Can I Borrow with a VA Loan?

If you’re a veteran or active duty military member, you may be wondering how much you can borrow with a VA loan. The answer depends on a few factors, such as your income, credit score, and the current market conditions. In this article, we’ll give you an idea of how much you can borrow with a VA loan.

The VA Loan Limit

The VA loan limit is the maximum amount of money that the VA will guarantee in a VA home loan. The loan limit is set each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is typically equal to whatever the conventional conforming loan limit is at the time. In 2020, that means the loan limit for most of the country is $510,400. That’s for a single-family home. It’s higher in certain high-cost counties.

The loan limit doesn’t represent how much you can actually borrow, though. It’s just a limit on how much of a loss the VA is willing to cover if you default on your loan. You’ll still need to qualify for a VA loan based on your income, credit score, employment history and other factors. And you’ll need to have enough savings for a down payment (unless you’re eligible to finance it).

The Debt-to-Income Ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, compares your monthly income to your monthly debts. It’s used by lenders to figure out how much house you can afford. A higher DTI means you’re using more of your income to pay your monthly debts, which makes it harder to qualify for a loan and could mean you have to buy a less expensive home.

The DTI ratio isn’t just based on the size of your monthly mortgage payment. It also includes your minimum monthly payments for credit cards, student loans, personal loans, and any other debts you have.

The Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t have a maximum DTI ratio for their loans, but most lenders will want to see a DTI ratio of no more than 41%. That means that no more than 41% of your monthly income should go towards your debts.

If your DTI is too high, you may need to take some time to pay down your other debts before you can qualify for a VA loan. You can use our debt consolidation calculator to see how consolidating your debts could help lower your DTI ratio.

Residual Income

In order to qualify for a VA loan, you’ll need to meet a number of eligibility requirements, including limits on your debt-to-income ratio and residual income. Residual income is the amount of money you have left over each month after paying your debts and other expenses. For example, if your monthly income is $3,000 and your monthly debts are $1,500, your residual income would be $1,500.

Residual income is important because it helps lenders determine whether or not you can afford a VA loan. If your residual income is too low, it could mean that you don’t have enough money left over each month to make your loan payments. That’s why it’s important to calculate your residual income before you apply for a VA loan.