Loan Costs
16 articles written for military families — plain English, no sales pitch, and no rate promises.
Loan Costs
The funding fee is the one cost unique to VA financing, and it can be financed. Around it sit ordinary closing costs, a list of fees the VA will not let you pay, and a seller concession rule most buyers never use.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 11 min read
Loan Costs
A VA disability rating does two things in a VA loan: it can eliminate the funding fee entirely, and it counts as untaxed income that is grossed up in qualifying. One is a closing-cost difference in the thousands; the other is a qualifying difference that changes what you can borrow.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
The VA does not set a maximum loan amount for borrowers with full entitlement. The limit only reappears when you have remaining entitlement — an active or unrestored prior VA loan. Here is when a limit applies and when it does not.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 8 min read
Loan Costs
A VA jumbo loan is a VA loan above the county conforming limit. With full entitlement, there is no down payment requirement even above the limit — the zero-down benefit extends to the full purchase price. Here is how it works and where the bar is higher.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
The VA loan's signature feature is zero down payment — but a down payment can still help. It drops the funding fee tier, it may be required with remaining entitlement, and on some files it improves qualifying. Here is when it pays.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
Discount points let you pay up front for a lower VA loan rate. The question is whether the monthly savings recover the cost before you sell or refinance. Here is the break-even math and when points pay.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 8 min read
Loan Costs
The VA does not set VA loan rates — lenders do, based on the market and your file. Here is what drives the rate, why VA often prices below conventional, and what you can and cannot control.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
The VA allows the seller to pay up to 4% of the property value in concessions — but the rule is narrower and more useful than most buyers assume. Here is what counts, what doesn't, and how to structure an offer that uses it.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 8 min read
Loan Costs
The VA protects borrowers by barring certain charges — the so-called non-allowables. Knowing which costs you can pay, which someone else must absorb, and where the lines sit turns a confusing Loan Estimate into a clear picture.
Updated 2026-09-19 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
The VA funding fee is a one-time, upfront cost that funds the VA loan guaranty. It is not monthly mortgage insurance. Here is the current schedule, who is exempt, and how the fee drops as your down payment rises.
Updated 2026-09-23 · 10 min read
Loan Costs
No, VA loans do not have monthly private mortgage insurance. The VA guaranty replaces PMI, and a one-time funding fee takes its place. That difference is one of the largest reasons the monthly VA payment is lower than a conventional loan with less than 20% down.
Updated 2026-09-23 · 9 min read
Loan Costs
Yes, you can use gift funds on a VA loan. A family member or other approved donor can help with your down payment, closing costs, and even the funding fee, as long as the money is a true gift with no expectation of repayment and a clear paper trail.
Updated 2026-09-23 · 8 min read
Loan Costs
The VA loan's famous benefit is zero down — and for most borrowers that is exactly how it works. But three situations require a down payment, and sometimes putting money down voluntarily is the smart play. Here is the complete picture.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 7 min read
Loan Costs
You can buy your VA rate down two ways: permanently with discount points, or temporarily with a 2-1 or 3-2-1 buydown. Here is how each works, who can pay for it, and the math that tells you whether it is worth doing.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 7 min read
Loan Costs
Most VA loans come with an escrow account for taxes and insurance — but the VA itself does not require one. Here is how escrow waivers actually work, what lenders demand, and whether waiving is a good idea.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 6 min read
Loan Costs
You cannot close a VA loan without homeowners insurance — the VA calls it hazard insurance. Here is what coverage is required, what it costs, how it gets paid, and where veterans can save real money.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 6 min read
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