VA Loan limits increased in 2017, the first increase since 2006. The new maximum loan guarantee is $424,100 in most counties. The loan limit is higher in some high-cost counties. These higher loan limits vary by region and are listed later in this article. The VA Loan limits are the same as the conforming mortgage loan limits determined by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
These new loan limits apply to all VA Loans closed after January 1, 2017.
Read through this article to get a full understanding of VA Loan limits, the maximum amount you can borrow without a down payment, which high-cost counties have higher limits, and other information you may need to know to secure a VA Loan.
Importance of the VA Loan Limits
The VA Loan limits aren’t necessarily a hard limit on how much house you can buy with a VA Loan. The limits only apply to the portion of the loan the VA will guarantee.
The limits also apply to how much money qualified buyers can borrow without making a downpayment. You can buy a more expensive home, but most lenders will require you to make a downpayment to bring the borrowed amount in line with the guaranty limit.
In most counties, that limit is $424,100. But the limits in high-cost counties can go as high as $636,150 in the Continental US, and as high as $721,050 in some areas of Hawaii.
VA Loan Limits & What Lenders Will Actually Lend
Most military members and veterans are eligible for a basic VA Loan entitlement, which amounts to $36,000. Lenders will normally allow veterans to borrow up to 4 times the basic entitlement ($144,000) without a down payment, provided they have the income and credit to qualify for the loan, and provided the property appraises for at least the purchase price. The VA will guaranty the full loan up to $144,000.
The maximum guaranty for VA loans over $144,000 is up to 25 percent of the county loan limit. The lowest county limit is $424,100. The high-cost county limits are listed in the table further down the article. The VA will guarantee loans up to 25 percent of the loan amount.
This means that if your home costs more than $144,000, the VA will only guaranty 25% of the loan, up to the $424,100 limit, or the limit for high-cost counties. The guaranty makes these types of loans more attractive to the lender, which in turn, may help the borrower obtain favorable loan rates.
How to Buy a House that Costs More than the Max VA Loan Guaranty
If you want to use the VA Loan to buy a house that costs more than $144,000, you may need to put make a down payment on the loan. The amount of the down payment will depend on your lender’s policies, the cost of your home, the amount you are borrowing, your income, credit profile, debt to income ratio, and other factors.
If you want to buy a home that costs more than the loan guaranty, you would need to make a downpayment, usually of 25% of the amount above the VA Loan limit.
For example, if you want to buy a home that costs $524,100 in a county with a loan limit of $424,100, you would likely need to make a $25,000 downpayment (25% of $100,000, or the difference above the loan limit). This assumes you have the full remaining entitlement to your VA Loan. You may have to restore your VA Loan Entitlement if you have previously used your VA Loan.
Larger downpayments may be a good idea: You can always make a larger down payment if you have the available funds, and there are some benefits to doing so. For example, a larger down payment reduces your outstanding balance on your home, reduces your monthly payments, and reduces the amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan.
Additional Loan Costs to Consider: You still may need to come up with the VA loan funding fee, which the VA charges for guaranteeing your loan. However, some disabled veterans are eligible to have the funding fee waived. Alternatively, you can often roll the funding fee into your loan.
Why Use a VA Loan if Your Home Costs More than The VA Will Guaranty?
This is a great question and there are several good reasons to apply for a VA Loan. The first is that you may be able to buy a home with a lower downpayment than you would be able to buy with a conventional mortgage, unless you are willing to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) which may add a fairly substantial amount to your monthly payment.
Interest rates are another important factor in your decision. Because VA loans are guaranteed by the VA, they often have slightly lower interest rates than conventional loans (all things being equal, including credit score, income, assets, debt to income ratio, etc.).
That said, it pays to shop around. A mortgage is often the largest purchase you will ever make, and even a few decimal points on your interest rate can save you a substantial amount of money, or cost you thousands over the life of your loan.
If you are interested in finding the best interest rates, you can view our list of VA Loan providers to shop and compare interest rates.
VA Loan Limits for High-Cost Counties
Below is the table for VA Loan limits for 2017. The VA bases these amounts on the county median home values reported by the Federal Housing Administration.
NOTE: For all counties not listed below, the limit is $424,100. See below the table for the Regional Loan Center physical and mailing addresses and contact information.
| STATE | COUNTY | 2018 VA LIMIT | Regional Loan Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Aleutians East | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Aleutians West | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Anchorage | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Bethel | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Bristol Bay | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Denali | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Dillingham | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Fairbanks North | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Haines | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Hoonah-Angoon | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Juneau | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kenai Peninsula | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Ketchikan Gateway | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kodiak Island | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kusilvak Census Area | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Lake And Peninsula | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Matanuska-Susitna | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Nome | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | North Slope | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Northwest Arctic | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Petersburg Census Area | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Prince of Wales-Hyder | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Sitka | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Skagway Municipality | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Southeast Fairbanks | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Valdez-Cordova | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Wrangell City/Borough | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Yakutat City | $679,650 | Denver |
| Alaska | Yukon-Koyukuk | $679,650 | Denver |
| California | Alameda | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Alpine | $463,450 | Phoenix |
| California | Contra Costa | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | El Dorado | $517,500 | Phoenix |
| California | Los Angeles | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Marin | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Mono | $529,000 | Phoenix |
| California | Monterey | $615,250 | Phoenix |
| California | Napa | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Nevada | $477,250 | Phoenix |
| California | Orange | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Placer | $517,500 | Phoenix |
| California | Sacramento | $517,500 | Phoenix |
| California | San Benito | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | San Diego | $649,750 | Phoenix |
| California | San Francisco | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | San Luis Obispo | $615,250 | Phoenix |
| California | San Mateo | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Barbara | $625,500 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Clara | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Cruz | $679,650 | Phoenix |
| California | Solano | $460,000 | Phoenix |
| California | Sonoma | $648,600 | Phoenix |
| California | Ventura | $672,750 | Phoenix |
| California | Yolo | $517,500 | Phoenix |
| Colorado | Adams | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Arapahoe | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Boulder | $578,450 | Denver |
| Colorado | Broomfield | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Clear Creek | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Denver | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Douglas | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Eagle | $636,150 | Denver |
| Colorado | Elbert | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Garfield | $679,650 | Denver |
| Colorado | Gilpin | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Jefferson | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Lake | $625,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Park | $529,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Pitkin | $679,650 | Denver |
| Colorado | Routt | $625,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | San Miguel | $625,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Summit | $625,500 | Denver |
| Connecticut | Fairfield | $601,450 | Cleveland |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Florida | Monroe | $529,000 | St. Petersburg |
| Georgia | Greene | $515,200 | Atlanta |
| Guam | Guam | $679,650 | Honolulu |
| Hawaii | Hawaii | $679,650 | Honolulu |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | $721,050 | Honolulu |
| Hawaii | Kalawao | $679,650 | Honolulu |
| Hawaii | Kauai | $713,000 | Honolulu |
| Hawaii | Maui | $679,650 | Honolulu |
| Idaho | Blaine | $625,500 | Denver |
| Idaho | Camas | $625,500 | Denver |
| Idaho | Lincoln | $625,500 | Denver |
| Idaho | Teton | $679,650 | Denver |
| Maryland | Anne Arundel | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Baltimore | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Baltimore City | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Calvert | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Carroll | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Charles | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Frederick | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Harford | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Howard | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Montgomery | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Prince George's | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Queen Anne's | $517,500 | Roanoke |
| Massachusetts | Dukes | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Essex | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Middlesex | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Nantucket | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Norfolk | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Plymouth | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Suffolk | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| New Hampshire | Rockingham | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| New Hampshire | Strafford | $603,750 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Bergen | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Essex | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Hudson | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Hunterdon | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Middlesex | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Monmouth | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Morris | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Ocean | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Passaic | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Somerset | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Sussex | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Union | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Bronx | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Dutchess | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Kings | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Nassau | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | New York | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Orange | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Putnam | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Queens | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Richmond | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Rockland | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Suffolk | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| New York | Westchester | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| North Carolina | Camden | $625,500 | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Currituck | $458,850 | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Gates | $458,850 | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Hyde | $483,000 | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Pasquotank | $625,500 | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Perquimans | $625,500 | Atlanta |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Northern Island | $524,400 | Honolulu |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Saipan | $529,000 | Honolulu |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Tinian | $532,450 | Honolulu |
| Oregon | Hood River | $454,250 | Denver |
| Pennsylvania | Pike | $679,650 | Cleveland |
| Tennessee | Cannon | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Cheatham | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Davidson | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Dickson | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Hickman | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Macon | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Maury | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Robertson | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Rutherford | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Smith | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Sumner | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Trousdale | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Williamson | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Tennessee | Wilson | $494,500 | Roanoke |
| Utah | Salt Lake | $600,300 | Denver |
| Utah | Summit | $679,650 | Denver |
| Utah | Tooele | $600,300 | Denver |
| Virgin Islands | St. Croix | $679,650 | St. Petersburg |
| Virgin Islands | St. John | $679,650 | St. Petersburg |
| Virgin Islands | St. Thomas | $679,650 | St. Petersburg |
| Virginia | Alexandria | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Amelia | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Arlington | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Caroline | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Charles City | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Chesapeake | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Chesterfield | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Clarke | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Colonial Heights | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Culpeper | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Cumberland | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Dinwiddie | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fairfax | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fairfax Independent City | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Falls Church | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fauquier | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fredericksburg | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Gloucester | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Goochland | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Hampton | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Hanover | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Henrico | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Hopewell | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Isle Of Wight | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | James City | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | King And Queen | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | King William | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Loudoun | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Louisa | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Manassas | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Manassas Park | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Mathews | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | New Kent | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Newport News | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Norfolk | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Petersburg | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Poquoson | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Portsmouth | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Powhatan | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Prince George | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Prince William | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Rappahannock | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Richmond Independent City | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Spotsylvania | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Stafford | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Suffolk | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Surry | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Sussex | $535,900 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Virginia Beach | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Warren | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Williamsburg | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | York | $458,850 | Roanoke |
| Washington | King | $667,000 | Denver |
| Washington | Pierce | $667,000 | Denver |
| Washington | San Juan | $483,000 | Denver |
| Washington | Snohomish | $667,000 | Denver |
| West Virginia | Jefferson | $679,650 | Roanoke |
| Wyoming | Teton | $679,650 | Denver |
Shop around to save thousands: As mentioned above, shaving a couple percentage points off your VA loan can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your loan. You can interest rates, you can view our list of VA Loan providers to shop and compare interest rates.
VA Regional Loan Centers & Contact Information
Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
1240 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44199
Denver Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
155 Van Gordon Street
Lakewood, CO 80228
(Mailing Address: Box 25126, Denver, CO 80225)
Honolulu Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Office
Loan Guaranty Division (26)
459 Patterson Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96819
*Note: This office is not technically a Regional Loan Center. However, they manage the VA Loan Guaranty program in Hawaii.
Phoenix Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
3333 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2402
Roanoke Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
210 First Street
Roanoke, VA 24011
(Mailing Address: 116 N. Jefferson Street,Roanoke, VA 24016)
St. Paul Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling.
St. Paul, MN 55111
(Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1437, St. Petersburg, FL 33731)
St. Petersburg Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
9500 Bay Pines Blvd.
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
(Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1437, St. Petersburg, FL 33731)
Joseph says
I would like to know if I’m qualified for a VA refinancing. I just enlisted in the National Guard.
Ryan Guina says
Joseph, here is an article that explains VA Loan Eligibility for Members of the Guard and Reserves. In most cases, you will need some active duty time to qualify, or you will need to have completed 6 years of service in the Guard before you are eligible for a VA Loan.
Keith Gumbinger says
Even though great rates, no down payment and more can make buying a home a great idea for a veteran, there can be drawbacks, such as a short-ownership period. One risk is that active military personnel often don’t stay in one station for long, and the costs of acquiring and disposing of real estate are considerable – usually a couple percentages of the purchase price getting in, and six percent or more getting out.
Unless home prices are rising quickly in your area or you’re certain you’ll stay put for perhaps five years, there is a risk that you will lose money by owning — and being able to rent a “”trailing”” property as an absentee landlord isn’t always a viable option.
Thelma Williams says
I understood that the VA entitlement can be used more than once to purchase a home, but the homes could not in the same county? Please advise if this has changed and when. Thank you.