Texas VA loans, priced by a broker who shops for you.
You earned the VA benefit. Most lenders quote you their rate and call it a day. We send your file to multiple VA-approved wholesale lenders, take the lowest price, and close in about 16 days. San Antonio based, licensed across Texas.
The VA guarantee removes the lender's risk. We make sure you get the discount.
Because the VA backs 25% of the loan, VA rates run below conventional. But a bank only has one rate sheet, and it's built around their margin. A broker isn't. Every VA loan we write is priced against multiple lenders on the day you lock.
- Multiple VA-approved lenders compete
Same VA guarantee, different prices. You get the winner. - No lender overlays where they aren't needed
The VA sets no minimum credit score. Some lenders add one. We match you to the one that fits your file. - 16-day average close
Fast VA appraisals through the Texas appraiser pool and a file that's clean before it goes to underwriting. - One loan officer, start to finish
No handoff to a call center after you sign the application.
The VA funding fee, explained
A one-time fee paid to the VA that can be rolled into the loan. It's what replaces mortgage insurance. Many veterans don't owe it at all.
| Purchase scenario | Fee |
|---|---|
| First VA loan, less than 5% down | 2.15% |
| Subsequent VA loan, less than 5% down | 3.30% |
| 5% to 9.99% down | 1.50% |
| 10% or more down | 1.25% |
| VA streamline refinance (IRRRL) | 0.50% |
| Receiving VA disability compensation | Exempt |
Funding fee schedule as published by the VA; we confirm the current figures for your loan at application. Surviving spouses receiving DIC and Purple Heart recipients on active duty are also exempt. If you're exempt, we make sure it's documented so you never pay it.
Three Texas benefits most out-of-state lenders never mention
Texas Veterans Land Board home loan
A state program with its own below-market rate, and it can be combined with your VA guarantee so you still put $0 down. Veterans with a VA disability rating of 30% or more get an additional rate discount. We're set up to originate it.
Disabled-veteran homestead exemptions
Texas gives veterans with a 100% disability rating a full exemption from property taxes on their homestead, and partial exemptions for lower ratings. On a Texas tax bill, that can matter as much as the interest rate. We factor it into your real monthly payment.
Texas VA cash-out rules
Texas has its own constitutional rules on cash-out refinancing (the "Texas 50(a)(6)" rules). VA cash-out loans interact with them in ways that trip up lenders who don't do this every week. We do.
Who qualifies for a VA loan
The VA sets the service requirements; we confirm them by pulling your Certificate of Eligibility. You don't need to have it in hand to get a quote.
- Active duty — 90 continuous days of service
- Veterans — generally 90 days during wartime or 181 days during peacetime, with an other-than-dishonorable discharge
- National Guard and Reserve — six years of service, or 90 days of active-duty service under certain orders
- Surviving spouses — of service members who died in service or from a service-connected disability, and haven't remarried (with some exceptions)
Used your benefit before? You can use it again, and in many cases hold two VA loans at once. Ask us about remaining entitlement.
Two ways to refinance
VA IRRRL (streamline)
Lower your rate on an existing VA loan with minimal paperwork. Often no appraisal, no income verification, and a reduced 0.5% funding fee. This is the loan to have set a rate alert for.
VA cash-out refinance
Refinance any loan (VA or not) into a VA loan and take cash from your equity for repairs, debt payoff, or anything else. Subject to lender limits and Texas cash-out rules, which we'll walk through with you.
VA loans across Texas, near every major installation
PCS orders to Texas, first VA purchase, or a refinance on the home you already own. We know the appraisers, the title companies, and the local markets.
VA loan FAQ
Do I need my Certificate of Eligibility before I apply?
No. Get your quote first. Once you're ready to move forward we pull your COE electronically through the VA portal, usually the same day.
Is there a minimum credit score?
The VA doesn't set one. Individual lenders do, and they vary. That's an advantage of working with a broker: if one lender's minimum is too high for your file, we go to one whose isn't.
Can I use my VA benefit more than once?
Yes. Entitlement is restored when you sell and pay off a VA loan, and with full entitlement there's no VA loan limit. It's also possible to hold two VA loans at once, for instance after a PCS. We'll calculate your remaining entitlement.
How much can the seller pay toward my costs?
The seller can pay all of your closing costs, plus up to 4% of the price in "concessions" (things like the funding fee, prepaid taxes and insurance, or paying off your debts). In a negotiable market, that's real money.
Can I buy a condo, a duplex, or new construction with a VA loan?
Condos need to be on the VA's approved list, or we can request approval. Two- to four-unit properties work if you live in one unit. New construction is fine once the home is complete, and some builders work with VA construction financing.
What's the VA appraisal, and does it slow things down?
The VA assigns an appraiser who checks value and the VA's Minimum Property Requirements (safe, sound, sanitary). In Texas the appraiser pool is deep, and our average close is 16 days, so no, not if the file is managed right.
I'm a disabled veteran. What changes?
Three things. You're exempt from the VA funding fee if you receive disability compensation. In Texas, you may qualify for a partial or full property tax exemption on your homestead. And at 30% or higher, the Texas Vet (VLB) program offers an extra rate discount. We build all three into your numbers.
How fast can you close a VA purchase?
Our average across all loans is 16 days from application to closing. VA purchases in Texas routinely close in that range when the COE is pulled early and the appraisal is ordered the day the contract is signed.
See your VA rate in about a minute.
No credit pull, no documents, no obligation. If a bank has already quoted you, bring the number and we'll try to beat it.
VA loan eligibility, funding fee amounts, and exemptions are determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Texas property tax exemptions and Texas Veterans Land Board program terms are set by the State of Texas and are subject to change. This page is general information, not a commitment to lend. Nichols Home Lending, NMLS #1660690. Equal Housing Lender.