Top Two Questions Veterans And Active Duty Are Asking About The VA Loan in Texas

 


VA Loans in Texas: Do I Qualify, and How Much Entitlement Do I Have Left?

If you’re a Veteran or currently serving and thinking about buying a home in Texas, two questions usually come up first:

  1. Do I qualify for a VA home loan?

  2. How much VA entitlement do I have left—especially if I’ve used it before?

Let’s walk through both in a way that makes sense, without the jargon.

Question 1: Do I Qualify for a VA Home Loan?

Step 1: Check your service and discharge

You may be eligible for a VA home loan if you served on active duty, in the Guard/Reserves, or are an eligible surviving spouse, and you meet VA’s minimum service requirements and discharge rules.

In general, you’re likely eligible if.

  • You served at least 90 days of active duty during wartime periods, or

  • You served 181 days of active duty during peacetime, or

  • You’ve had at least 6 years in the National Guard or Reserves (with certain criteria), or

  • You’re a surviving spouse of a Veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability.

Discharge typically must be other than dishonorable.

You don’t need to memorize the exact dates or rules—that’s what your lender and the VA’s toolkit are for.

Step 2: Get your Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the official “yes, you qualify” from VA.

  • A lender can usually pull it online in minutes through the VA portal.

  • You can also request it yourself through VA.gov or by mail.

Your COE does two important things

  • Confirms that you meet VA’s eligibility rules

  • Shows your current entitlement and if any entitlement is already in use

If you’re in Texas and you’re not sure whether you qualify, the fastest path is usually:

Step 1: Call or email a VA-experienced lender
Step 2: Let them pull your COE and walk you through what it says

Step 3: Do I still need perfect credit or a big down payment?

A few quick myths to clear up:

  • No, you usually don’t need a down payment. With full entitlement and a loan amount within VA limits, 0% down is common.

  • No, you don’t need perfect credit. VA doesn’t set a minimum score in its handbook; lenders do. Most lenders have overlays, but VA is designed to be flexible for Veterans.

  • Yes, you still need stable income and acceptable debt-to-income (DTI). VA also checks residual income, which looks at how much money is left after major bills.

If you’re a Texas Veteran with questions about credit scores, child care, or other debts, this is where a tailored pre-approval conversation really matters.

Question 2: How Much VA Entitlement Do I Have Left?

This is the big one—especially if you:

  • Already own a home with a VA loan

  • Have used VA in the past in another state

  • Want to keep your current VA home as a rental and buy again in Texas

First: What is “entitlement” in plain English?

“Entitlement” is the amount of VA’s guaranty—the portion of the loan VA promises to reimburse the lender if there’s a default. That guaranty is what lets lenders offer no down payment and competitive terms.

There are two main pieces:

Full vs. Partial Entitlement

Full entitlement usually means:

  • You’ve never used a VA loan, or

  • You used it but paid off the VA loan and sold the home, and entitlement was restored, or

  • You did a one-time restoration after paying off a VA loan and still own the property (in certain cases).

With full entitlement:

  • There’s effectively no VA loan “cap” as long as the lender approves the loan and it fits income/credit guidelines—there’s no down payment required just due to loan size in standard cases.

Partial entitlement means:

  • You still have an existing VA loan on another property, or

  • Part of your entitlement is tied up in a prior VA loan that hasn’t been restored

In that case, VA starts using the county loan limit math again.

How lenders estimate remaining entitlement

The high-level math (simplified) looks like this for standard-limit Texas counties:

  1. Find the county loan limit. Most Texas counties follow the FHFA baseline limit (in 2025: $806,500 for a single-family home).

  2. Take 25% of that number. That’s the maximum VA guaranty in that county.

  3. Subtract the entitlement already used (shown on your COE).

  4. Multiply what’s left by 4 to estimate the max loan amount with zero down using remaining entitlement.

If your new Texas home price (and loan amount) stays under that “no-down-payment” threshold, you may not need a down payment even with partial entitlement. If it’s above, VA simply requires 25% down on the difference.

Why this gets tricky fast

Things that impact how much entitlement you have left:

  • VA loans you still have open in other states

  • Prior VA foreclosures or compromises

  • Whether entitlement was properly restored when you sold a previous VA home

  • Different county limits (for example, if you’re moving from a high-cost area to a standard-limit Texas county or vice versa)

Because of that, the most accurate way to know “how much do I have left?” is:

  • Pull your COE

  • Run your scenario through VA’s guaranty/entitlement guidance and tools (including the VA guaranty calculator your lender uses).

How This Plays Out for a Texas Veteran in Real Life

Here’s how a typical Texas scenario might look:

  • You bought a home years ago in another state with a VA loan.

  • You’ve moved to Texas and want to keep that home as a rental and buy again near Dallas, Killeen, San Antonio, or Houston.

  • Your COE shows a certain amount of entitlement already charged.

Your lender will:

  • Confirm the 2025 county limit for your new Texas home

  • Calculate remaining entitlement using the VA formula

  • Tell you whether you can still go 0% down, or whether a partial down payment is needed—and how much

You don’t have to do this math by hand; you just need someone who lives in this world every day and understands Texas markets.

What Should a Veteran in Texas Do Next?

If you’re wondering “Do I qualify?” or “How much of my entitlement is left?” your next three steps are simple:

  • 1. Let a VA-experienced lender pull your COE.

  • 2. Share your current housing picture: any existing VA loans, rentals, or prior foreclosures.

  • 3. Talk through your Texas plans: primary home, future rentals, construction plans, or a move from another state.

From there, you can see:

  • Whether you qualify today

  • How much entitlement is available

  • Whether you can buy with 0% down, or whether a small down payment makes sense for your goals

You’ve already earned the VA benefit with your service. The real question now is how to optimize it for you and your family in the Texas market—today and for your long-term wealth plan.

About the Author
Nate Carver – Mortgage Loan Officer
Premier Lending, Inc. – NMLS #130562
LO NMLS #2004738

Licensed in TX, FL, AL, TN, CO
Equal Housing Opportunity.

If you’re a Realtor and want talking points, co-branded material, or a quick Zoom to walk through this data for your market, let’s schedule a time—and let’s see who in your database is ready to get back in the game.

If you are Active Duty or a Veteran and looking for a clear mortgage plan to homeownership I would love to team up with you and make it happen.

About Between Two Doors

Between Two Doors is a podcast where Nate talks to Realtors and other influencers in the communities that he serves as a mortgage loan advisor.  He has conversations about the guest's journey, aiming to connect home buyers and sellers with Realtors on a more personal level. He ask "right brain" questions that go beyond transactions, focusing on the experiences, values, and passions that make these professionals great at what they do.

Listen to more episodes at: https://www.betweentwodoors.com

Sponsored by:
Premier Lending, Inc.
https://www.natecarver.com

NMLS Numbers:
NMLS: 2004738
Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). Equal Housing Opportunity.
https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.com

Contact: 972-832-5761


Location: Texas, USA

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