VA home loans with Joseph “Joe” Pistone.
Eligible military borrowers may purchase a qualifying primary residence with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. A Certificate of Eligibility establishes service eligibility; income, credit, entitlement, occupancy and the property still require lender review. Closing costs and a VA funding fee may apply.
I help buyers in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and South Carolina understand what their benefit can do and what the complete transaction will cost.
My starting point: the benefit and the budget.
I start with three questions: Where do you want to buy? Have you used your VA benefit before? What monthly payment fits your life? Those answers help frame a useful conversation before you spend time on homes that may not fit your financing.
My goal is a plan you understand: the documents to gather, the questions to resolve and the numbers to compare. I look at the complete housing payment, cash needed at closing and money you want to keep available afterward.
What to prepare for a VA mortgage review.
- Service and entitlement: your COE if available, relevant service documentation and details of any prior VA-financed home.
- Income and assets: the documentation requested for your employment or income sources and funds available for closing.
- Your purchase: state, intended occupancy, estimated price, property type and timeline. If you have a contract, include its financing and closing dates.
- Your questions: a payment concern, an existing mortgage, a relocation or a property feature that may need early review.
Share financial documents through the secure lender system. You can begin with a conversation if you are still deciding what to do.
VA questions I want answered before you make an offer.
Does a COE mean I am approved?
No. It documents service eligibility. The lender must still review your finances and the property before making a loan decision.
Does no down payment mean no cash to close?
No. An appraisal gap, closing costs, prepaid items and any applicable funding fee can affect the transaction. I want you to understand those items before comparing homes.
Can I use my VA benefit again?
Prior use does not automatically end the benefit. Remaining entitlement or restoration may be available. I would review your COE and the status of the earlier loan.
How much is the VA purchase funding fee in 2026?
The fee depends on prior use and your down payment, unless you qualify for an exemption. I confirm your status before estimating your costs.
| Down payment | First use | After first use |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5% | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| 5% to under 10% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
These are fees, not interest rates. The percentage applies to the base loan amount. I check disability-compensation, qualifying surviving-spouse and other VA exemptions. Financing the fee increases your loan balance; other purchase closing costs generally cannot be financed into the VA loan.
VA fee table and full exemption rules · Effective April 7, 2023; verified October 6, 2026.
Can I use a VA loan above $700,000?
Yes. A loan amount above $700,000 does not by itself rule out a VA purchase loan. With full entitlement, VA does not impose a county loan limit. Your lender still reviews your finances and the property, and the appraisal must support the purchase price. If some entitlement has been used and not restored, remaining entitlement and the county limit can affect the VA guaranty and cash needed.
“VA jumbo” is a useful conversation label, but the first check is your Certificate of Eligibility and any prior VA use. A $700,000-plus amount is also not automatically a conventional jumbo loan: the 2026 baseline conforming limit for a one-unit property is $832,750 in most counties, with higher limits in designated high-cost areas. I start with your COE, prior VA loan details, property location, estimated price, full payment and cash to close. Eligibility and terms require lender and property review. Read the VA entitlement rules and FHFA’s 2026 conforming limits.
What if my mortgage question is about a refinance or a different property?
Start with your actual goal. Buying a primary home, keeping a home after divorce, accessing equity, purchasing an investment property and financing a personal second home can lead to different reviews. Read my mortgage scenario checklist and request a secure review. I also review self-employed and complex-income purchase scenarios.
Should I choose VA automatically?
I would compare the complete cost and fit with other options you qualify for. The monthly payment, available cash, property and ownership plans belong in that comparison.
Choose the state where you want to buy.
The program rules are only part of the decision. I also need the property location, insurance estimate, taxes, association dues and purchase timeline.
Hear how I approach homebuyer planning.
Watch my Sonic Combinator conversation about affordability and mortgage costs, then bring your own goals to the discussion.
How to compare lenders and offers.
Ask lenders to evaluate the same property and borrower scenario, then compare their Loan Estimates: the complete payment, cash to close, origination charges, mortgage insurance or program fees, and any assumptions still unverified. Joseph Pistone, NMLS #2087918, at CrossCountry Mortgage can help explain those tradeoffs. Eligibility and terms require a complete review. Use the CFPB Loan Estimate guide to compare offers.
Official VA sources.
- VA purchase-loan benefits and requirements
- Service eligibility, COE and entitlement reuse
- VA funding fee, exemptions and closing costs
Ready to discuss a specific home or purchase timeline?
Educational information only. This page is not a loan approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility and terms depend on current program rules, lender requirements, borrower qualifications and property review. CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC is a private lender, not the Department of Veterans Affairs.