Blog

VA Loan Blog

Straight answers on VA lending in the San Antonio and JBSA market, updated as rules and conditions change.

✓Veteran-Owned

✓Top 1% Nationwide

✓2,500+ Families Served

Featured

Loan LimitsAugust 7, 20265 min read

2026 VA Loan Limits Explained (And Why Most Veterans Do Not Have One)

If you have full VA entitlement, there is no VA loan limit in 2026 — you can borrow whatever a lender will approve with $0 down. The 2026 baseline conforming figure of $832,750 only matters when your entitlement is partially used or you had a prior VA loan that has not been restored.

Read the article

Browse All Articles

Choosing a LenderAugust 7, 20265 min

Broker vs. Retail Lender: Why the Same VA Loan Costs Different Amounts

A VA loan is the same government program no matter who originates it, but the price is not. A broker shops your file across many wholesale lenders and is paid a disclosed, capped amount; a retail lender offers only its own pricing and builds margin into the rate. That structural difference is where the cost gap comes from.

PCS & RelocationAugust 7, 20266 min

Using Your VA Loan at a New Duty Station in Another State

Your VA entitlement is federal, so it moves with you to any state. What changes state to state is the county loan limit if your entitlement is partial, property tax and insurance costs that drive your payment, and closing customs like attorney states versus title states. The loan itself does not change.

QualifyingAugust 7, 20265 min

Can You Get a VA Loan With a 500 Credit Score?

Yes. The VA sets no minimum credit score, and we originate VA loans down to a 500 FICO. Lenders overlay their own minimums — many stop at 620 — which is why the same veteran gets declined at a bank and approved through a broker with access to lenders that go lower.

No Lender Fees

Get Pre-Qualified In About Five Minutes

Veteran-owned, $0 down VA financing with a 500+ minimum FICO and an average 21-day closing.

(678) 488-0608

Buying ProcessAugust 5, 20266 min

VA Loan Closing Timeline in Bexar County: What Actually Takes the Time

A VA purchase in Bexar County typically closes in about 21 days from a complete file, and the two steps that decide whether you hit that are the VA appraisal assignment and how fast you return underwriting conditions. Nothing about the VA program itself is slow — the delays are almost always documentation and scheduling.

PCS PlanningAugust 5, 20267 min

PCS to JBSA in 30 Days: How to Buy a Home Without Losing Your Mind

Thirty days is enough time to close on a home near Joint Base San Antonio if you get pre-approved before you arrive, tour with a lender letter already in hand, and choose an area that fits your gate. The families who struggle are the ones who start the loan after they find the house.

New ConstructionAugust 5, 20266 min

Buying New Construction With a VA Loan on the 1604 and 281 Corridors

You can absolutely use a VA loan on a new build in Schertz, Cibolo, Boerne or anywhere along Loop 1604 and US-281 — you are financing a completed home at closing, exactly like a resale. The traps are builder incentive strings, long build timelines against a rate lock, and signing a contract before a lender reviews it.

Buying ProcessAugust 5, 20265 min

Why San Antonio Sellers Reject VA Offers — And How to Get Yours Accepted

Sellers reject VA offers over three beliefs: that VA is slow, that the appraisal will kill the deal over trivia, and that the seller must pay the buyer's costs. All three are outdated, and a well-written offer plus a lender who will call the listing agent neutralizes them.

EntitlementAugust 5, 20266 min

You Kept the House at Your Last Duty Station. Can You Still Buy in San Antonio?

Yes, in most cases. Keeping a home financed with a VA loan at your prior duty station ties up part of your entitlement, but second-tier entitlement usually lets you buy again at JBSA — sometimes with zero down, sometimes with a partial down payment. The number depends on the guaranty already in use and the price of the new home, and it should be calculated before you write an offer.

RefinancingAugust 5, 20266 min

IRRRL or Cash-Out? Picking the Right VA Refinance

If you already have a VA loan and only want a lower rate, the IRRRL is faster and cheaper — no appraisal, no income documents, a 0.5% funding fee. If you need cash from equity, or you are refinancing a conventional or FHA loan into VA, you need the cash-out refinance, which requires a full appraisal and full underwriting.

CostsAugust 5, 20265 min

Why Your San Antonio Mortgage Payment Is Bigger Than the Loan Calculator Said

Texas has no state income tax and comparatively high property tax rates, so escrow for taxes and insurance is a large share of a San Antonio mortgage payment. Buyers who budget only principal and interest are routinely surprised at closing. The fix is running the payment with real county rates and an actual insurance quote before you make an offer.

AppraisalAugust 5, 20266 min

What Actually Fails a VA Appraisal on an Older San Antonio Home

VA minimum property requirements target safety, sanitation, and structural soundness — not cosmetics. On older homes across the Northeast Side, Northwest Side, and inside Loop 410, the recurring flags are roof condition, exposed or unsafe wiring, plumbing leaks, missing handrails, and peeling paint on pre-1978 houses. Almost all of it is fixable inside an option period if you spot it early.

Ready To Start?

Get pre-qualified in about five minutes with a veteran-owned lender that charges no lender fees.

Proudly Serving Military Families Since 2019