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For those who servedVA loans in San Antonio, done by someone who knows the terrain.
Military City USA runs on the VA loan — 0% down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and rules written to get service members into homes. I work these files personally, from Lackland to Randolph, and I'll tell you when the Texas Vet loan beats it.
No SSN. No credit pull. Alejandra Glass, NMLS #1008649.
Why the VA loan is still the best benefit in the mortgage world
No other mainstream program combines zero down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive pricing backed by a federal guarantee. For buyers around Joint Base San Antonio — Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph — it's usually the first program to check, whether you're active duty getting PCS orders, a veteran settling here for good, or an eligible surviving spouse.
- 0% down — keep your savings for the move, not the closing table.
- No PMI — the payment stays lower than a low-down conventional loan.
- Seller concessions allowed — closing costs can be negotiated into the deal.
- Reusable — entitlement restores, and partial entitlement supports a second use.
The funding fee — and who doesn't pay it
The VA charges a one-time funding fee, typically rolled into the loan. The tier depends on your down payment and whether it's your first use of the benefit. Two things matter here: veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt from the fee entirely, and putting even a modest amount down can drop the tier. Run your own numbers with the VA funding fee calculator before you assume the fee is fixed.
VA loan requirements, in plain English
You'll need a Certificate of Eligibility (I pull these routinely), sufficient entitlement, and a property that will be your primary residence and passes the VA appraisal's minimum property requirements. The VA sets no minimum credit score — lender overlays do — which is why the same file can be declined at one shop and approved at another. As a broker I place the file where the overlay fits, instead of telling you to come back in six months.
VA loan or Texas Vet loan — or both?
Texas is the one state with its own veteran home-loan program: the Texas Veterans Land Board (Texas Vet) loan program, run through the Texas General Land Office. It's a separate benefit that can be combined with your federal VA benefit, and for veterans with a 30%-or-greater disability rating it carries an additional rate discount. Most out-of-state lenders never mention it. I quote both, side by side, and let the numbers decide.
Ready to see where you stand? Get pre-approved for a VA loan — two minutes, no SSN, no credit pull to start.
VA Loans — straight answers
How much down payment does a VA loan require?
Zero. The VA loan is one of the only programs left with true 0% down and no monthly mortgage insurance. You can put money down if you want to lower the payment or reduce the funding fee tier, but nothing about the program requires it.
What is the VA funding fee, and do I have to pay it?
It's a one-time fee the VA charges to keep the program running, usually financed into the loan rather than paid in cash. The percentage depends on your down payment and whether you've used the benefit before. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt entirely — a detail that changes the math significantly and gets missed more often than it should.
Can I use the VA loan more than once?
Yes. VA entitlement restores when you sell and pay off the loan, and partial entitlement often allows a second VA loan even while you keep the first home. If you've been told you 'used up' your benefit, that's worth a second look — the bonus entitlement rules surprise people.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan?
The VA itself doesn't set a minimum score — individual lenders do, and their overlays vary. That's exactly where a broker helps: if one lender's overlay says no, another's may say yes on the identical file, without changing anything about your situation.
Is a VA loan or a Texas Vet loan better for me?
They're different programs — the federal VA loan and the Texas Veterans Land Board program — and Texas veterans can often combine them. The right answer depends on your disability rating, how long you'll stay, and current pricing on each. I run both side by side so you can compare real numbers.
Let’s see what you qualify for.
Two minutes, no SSN, no credit pull — and I review every one personally.