The maximum veteran entitlement for a va loan guaranty is

Contrary to popular assumption, most eligible borrowers start with enough VA loan entitlement to finance a home of up to $417,000.

To understand VA Loan Entitlement,veterans should know what it is and what it is not. When used in relation to VA guaranteed home loans, the term “entitlement” is a reference to the maximum guarantee for each eligible borrower that the VA provides to the lender. It is not the maximum VA loan amount a veteran can get, nor a payment made to the veteran.

Related: Your VA Loan is one of your most valuable military benefits, and a VA Loan calculator is a great place to get started. Click here to calculate your rate in minutes.

When considering a VA loan, many veterans start by looking up their entitlement online at the Veterans Information Portal. A common figure is $36,000, but borrowers should not assume that’s all the entitlement available. All first-time users of VA home loan benefits start with enough entitlement for a mortgage of $417,000 (more in certain high-cost counties). Of course, borrowers must qualify with enough income and credit, among other requirements, for a loan of any amount regardless of how much entitlement they have. Having enough entitlement is one requirement in getting a VA home loan.

VA entitlement has two parts: basic and bonus

If you’re eligible for the VA home loan program, and have never used the program, then you have basic and bonus VA entitlement. The $36,000 figure many see on their Certificate of Eligibility (COE) refers to a portion of entitlement known as “basic”. This is the VA’s maximum guarantee for loans up to $144,000. Many veterans are surprised to hear, after speaking with an experienced loan officer, that they have additional entitlement to use for loans over $144,000. “Bonus” entitlement is up to an additional $68,250, and in certain counties, described below, even more. This amount, sometimes referred to as Tier 2 or Additional entitlement, is only used for VA loans between $144,000 and the conforming limit, which is generally $417,000. In certain high-cost counties the conforming limit is higher, and the amount of bonus entitlement is higher as well.

Basic entitlement and bonus entitlement together are enough for a VA loan of $417,000 or more

When added to basic entitlement, bonus entitlement gives eligible veterans enough VA backing for a loan of up to $417,000, or more in high-cost areas. A VA loan officer can help calculate the maximum mortgage loan amount for which the VA will provide its guarantee based on how much entitlement a borrower has available. As a rule of thumb, the maximum loan amount for loans over $144,000 is four times the amount of full entitlement. The calculation for full entitlement in most areas of the country looks like this:

  • Basic entitlement is $36,000 x 4 = $144,000
  • Bonus entitlement is $70,025 x 4 = 280,100
  • $144,000 + $280,100 = $424,100 (the maximum loan value for which the VA will guarantee)

In some high-cost areas of such as California, New York, New Jersey and other states this calculation can be higher to give eligible veterans the potential to purchase a home in line with higher-priced housing markets.

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2019 VA Loan Limits

In your area, what’s the highest VA loan amount possible with zero down?

VA Loan Limit Calculator

Find the VA loan limit by entering your state, county, and city

In what state are you looking to purchase?

Higher VA loan limits are available in select areas of these U.S. states and territories.

The 2019 VA loan limit is $484,350, but some high-cost counties have limits up to $726,525.

Gold-shaded states have one or more high-cost counties.

Areas with higher VA loan limits:

Every year, the Department of Veterans Affairs releases its annual VA Loan Limits. On December 9, 2014, the VA announced on its website that, going forward, VA limits would be the sames as conforming limits of the Federal Houseing Finance Agency (FHFA). Contrary to its name, the limit is not a cap on the amount of home loan possible through the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program. Instead, it's the amount of home loan that a qualified servicemember has the potential to obtaion with a $0 down payment VA loan. In most counties, the VA loan limit is $484,350. The map above highlights states that contain at least one high-cost area where the VA loan limit is higher than that amount.

2019 VA Loan Limits Up With Home Prices

On November 27, 2018, the VA announced updated VA loan limits for 2019, with the limit for most U.S. counties and territories increasing by nearly 7%. Higher loan limits will increase the percentage of homes that can potentially be financed with a VA loan and no down payment. This enhances the impact of the VA loan benefit for Veterans, especially considering that home prices have risen steeply for several years, making saving for a down payment more challenging for those who don’t enjoy this benefit.

VA loan limits have increased for three years in a row. The 2019 limits are set at $484,350, an increase of $31,250, from the previous year. The ceiling for high-cost counties also increased, to $726,525, up from $679,650 in 2017. Veterans have gains in home values to thank for the hike in loan limits, as all nine regions of the country saw an annual rise in home prices in 2019. The Mountain region saw the most gain at just under 9%.

2019’s VA loan limits may be good for Veterans who are hunting for a more expensive home. With soaring limits, a qualified borrower may be able to get a larger loan without having to cough up cash for a down payment. Homebuyers in 2019 will be able to take advantage of higher loan limits, a robust housing market, and what are predicted to be historically low interest rates.

VA Loan Limits Explained

VA loan limits don’t “limit” the amount a Veteran can borrow using their home loan benefits, as the name implies. Instead, loan limits are the maximum loan amount that the VA is willing to back without a down payment. Typically, about 25% of a Veteran’s VA loan, up to the limit, is guaranteed for the lender by the government. For loans over the limit, lenders will ask the borrower to secure 25% of the amount above the limit in the form of a down payment. But with the new loan limit at $484,350, and the average VA loan being around $255,000, it is reasonable to expect that most loans will be obtained without a down payment.

How Are Baseline Loan Limits Calculated?

A baseline loan limit is simply the loan limit for most U.S. counties and territories where home prices are more in line with the national average. Over a decade ago, the baseline loan limit was $417,000, as defined by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008. Generally, loan limits are intended to reflect home prices in a specific location. But due to the 2008 housing crisis, it took time for the market to recover, and due to stipulations in HERA, the baseline loan limits stayed at $417,000 for nearly a decade.

Then in 2016, home prices rose almost everywhere. The FHFA published its third-quarter house price index (HPI), showing that the average prices had risen 1.7% above Q3 2007, which was right before the housing bubble burst. As a result, the baseline loan limit for 2017 was adjusted to reflect the correction in the housing market. Loan limits rose again for 2018. And due to a robust 2018 housing market, home prices rose again in almost all 50 states. Hence, VA loan limits are up again for 2019.

High-Cost Areas Have a New Ceiling of $726,525

Some areas of the country have very expensive homes, and to accommodate this, limits in certain places are higher than the baseline limit of $484,350. By FHFA’s definition, high-cost housing areas have at least 115% of their local median home values over the baseline loan limit. In other words, these are areas where the average home is notably more expensive. Limits in these areas are set at the median home value, rather than the baseline. This makes it more feasible for Veterans to utilize their benefits in expensive housing markets with zero-down VA loans.

Higher Loan Limits Reflect Rising Home Prices

Across the country, home prices are steadily increasing.

Here are some of the significant findings from the third quarter (Q3) 2018 HPI report:

  • All 50 states and 99 of the 100 major metro areas saw home prices rise from a year ago.
  • The five top-growth states were: 1) Idaho 15.1%; 2) Nevada 15.0%; 3) Washington 10.6%; 4) Utah 10.0%; and 5) Colorado 9.2%.
  • The strongest metro area was Boise, ID, up 20.1%.
  • The weakest metro area was Honolulu, HI (urban) down 5.2%.
  • The strongest region was the Mountain Region, up 8.9% from last year.
  • The regions will the lowest increases were New England, Middle Atlantic, and West South Central, all up less than 5% since Q3 2017.

According to data from FHFA, home prices increased from Q3 2014 to Q3 2015 by 5.7%, then by 6.1% from Q3 2015 to Q3 2016, and by 6.5% from Q3 2016 to Q3 2017. For Q3 2018, prices are up 6.3% annually. This is a much more rapid pace than the 4.9% increase FHFA predicted in its forecast.

Predicting the Future of Loan Limits

FHFA forecasts that the percent growth in home prices for 2019 will slow to a pace of 3.2%. And VA loan limits have traditionally followed housing market trends. So, if the home prices keep increasing, and no action is taken by the federal government to change how the limits are calculated, 2020 loan limits will likely rise as well.

For information about a VA loan in your area, get in touch with one of our team members here at Veterans First Mortgage.

VA Loan Limits Table and Map

Are you curious about your loan limits? Look yours up using the VA loan limit table below.

If you don’t see your state or county, you can assume your current loan limit is $484,350. The following loan limit table lists only high-cost counties where limits are over the baseline. Loan limits are updated for each year on January 1st.

To get your questions about VA loan limits answered, speak to one of our VA specialists at 800-217-1596.

Alaska

Aleutians East

$636,150

$679,650

6.8%

Denver

Alaska

Aleutians East

$636,150

$679,650

6.8%

Denver

Alaska

Aleutians East

$636,150

$679,650

6.8%

Denver

Alaska

Aleutians East

$636,150

$679,650

6.8%

Denver

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What is the VA guaranty limit per veteran?

Eligible Veterans, service members, and survivors with full entitlement no longer have limits on loans over $144,000. This means you won't have to pay a down payment, and we guarantee to your lender that if you default on a loan that's over $144,000, we'll pay them up to 25% of the loan amount.

Why is my VA loan entitlement only 36000?

If you're eligible for the VA home loan program, and have never used the program, then you have basic and bonus VA entitlement. The $36,000 figure many see on their Certificate of Eligibility (COE) refers to a portion of entitlement known as “basic”. This is the VA's maximum guarantee for loans up to $144,000.

What is the maximum financing on a VA loan?

About VA Loan Limits The standard VA loan limit in 2022 is $647,200 for most U.S. counties, increasing from $548,250 in 2021. VA loan limits also increased for high-cost counties, topping out at $970,800 for a single-family home.

What is the maximum VA for 100% financing?

VA Funding Fee and Loan Limits The funding fee goes directly to the VA to support the costs of the program. The current VA loan limit is set at $647,200 but can be higher in VA-designated high-cost areas. For instance, a veteran buying a home in Los Angeles can get a zero-down loan up to $970,800.