Texas VA Home Loans
Texas has more military installations than almost any state, and the veteran population that comes with them. Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Cavazos in Killeen, Fort Bliss in El Paso, NAS Corpus Christi, Dyess in Abilene. Every one of those produces separating service members who buy within an hour of the gate.
Texas is also one of the few states that runs its own veteran loan program alongside the federal one. Most veterans here don’t know both exist, and the wrong choice costs real money over thirty years.
Check Your VA Loan Eligibility Talk to a Loan Specialist — (833) 350-9185VLB or a Federal VA Loan?
The Texas Veterans Land Board has run its Veterans Housing Assistance Program since 1983. It is a state program, self-funded through bonds — no taxpayer money — and administered by the Texas General Land Office.
| Federal VA loan | Texas VLB (VHAP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who lends | Private lender, VA-guaranteed | State of Texas, first lien |
| Purchase | Yes | Yes, primary residence in Texas |
| Refinance | Yes, including IRRRL | No — purchase only |
| Terms | 15 / 30 year typical | 15, 20, 25, 30 year |
| Disability rate break | No | Yes, at 30%+ rating |
| Property location | Anywhere you’re eligible | Texas only |
The piece worth knowing: VLB publishes a discounted rate for veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher. That discount is structural, not a promotion. If you carry a 30%+ rating and you’re buying in Texas, VLB deserves a look before you assume the federal route wins.
The two are not stackable. You pick one loan. Current VLB rates are published at glo.texas.gov — go to the source, since rates move.
VLB also runs separate land and home improvement loan programs, which have no federal VA equivalent at all.
The Texas Disabled Veteran Exemption — It’s Tiered
Texas does this better than most states. Unlike California, which is all-or-nothing at 100%, Texas pays out at every rating level.
| VA disability rating | Exemption off assessed value |
|---|---|
| 10–29% | up to $5,000 |
| 30–49% | up to $7,500 |
| 50–69% | up to $10,000 |
| 70–99% | up to $12,000 |
| 100% or Individual Unemployability | 100% of appraised value |
A veteran 65 or older with at least a 10% rating also qualifies for up to $12,000, as does a veteran who is blind in one or both eyes or has lost use of a limb.
That last row is the one that changes purchase math. A 100% rating or an IU award means your residence homestead is fully exempt from property tax. In a state with no income tax and correspondingly high property tax rates, that is often worth more per month than the interest rate difference between any two lenders.
There is no income limit on either tier.
Sources: Texas Comptroller §11.22 · §11.131 (100% exemption)
VA Loan Limits in Texas
With full entitlement — no active VA loan, no prior VA foreclosure — there is no VA loan limit. Texas has no designated high-cost counties, so where limits do apply, the standard baseline governs statewide. Austin and Dallas price points have not pushed any Texas county into high-cost territory.
Where We See Texas VA Volume
- San Antonio — Joint Base San Antonio is the largest single concentration of military training in the country; enormous separating population every year
- Killeen / Harker Heights — Fort Cavazos, and a purchase market built almost entirely around it
- El Paso — Fort Bliss, where VA purchase share runs far above the national average
- Houston — the largest metro, and where we already see heavy self-employed borrower volume
- Corpus Christi — NAS Corpus Christi and the surrounding coastal market
- Dallas–Fort Worth — NAS JRB Fort Worth plus the largest veteran employer base in the state
VA Purchase Requirements
Guidelines vary by lender. Typical:
- Credit score: 620 minimum on most VA programs; better pricing at 700+
- Down payment: none with full entitlement
- Mortgage insurance: none, at any LTV
- Funding fee: one-time, financeable, waived if you receive compensation for a service-connected disability
- Occupancy: primary residence only
- Certificate of Eligibility: we can pull it, or request it with VA Form 26-1880
- Texas note: Texas is an attorney-closing state with a 24-hour document approval requirement — build that into your closing timeline
Related Texas Programs
- Texas Bank Statement Loans — self-employed, 12 or 24 months of deposits
- Texas DSCR Loans — investment property, qualified on rent. VA does not cover rentals
- How VA Refinancing Works — IRRRL and cash-out on an existing VA loan. Note VLB does not refinance
- VA Jumbo Loans — above conforming, still zero down with full entitlement
Talk Through Your Scenario
Bring your county, price point, entitlement status, and disability rating. With a 30%+ rating in Texas, the VLB comparison is worth running before anything else.
Check Your VA Loan EligibilityFor illustration only. Not a commitment to lend. Rates and terms subject to change and qualification. 1st Nationwide Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #1281. Equal Housing Lender.
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