The VA loan limit in Orange County for 2019 increased once again to $726,525. In 2018 the limit had been $679,650. This $46,875 increase gives Veterans more reason to seriously consider the VA loan program even if they have a down payment. Home prices in Orange County are higher than in most parts of the country, making it difficult for home buyers, both Veteran and non-Veteran buyers, to finance the purchase of a home. VA offers the only 100% financing program with a limit to $726,525 and is only available to eligible Veterans.
Jumbo VA Loan Program – What is it and How Does it Work?
$726,525 is the 100% financing loan limit for Orange County, but is not the actual limit for the highest a VA loan can go. Many lenders will fund VA loan amounts as high as $1,500,000. A Jumbo VA loan is when the loan amount is higher than the 100% financed limit.A down payment is required when the purchase price is higher than the 100% financed loan limit, but it is minimal compared to other loan programs. The down payment is equal to 25% of the difference between the 100% financing loan limit and the purchase price. For example, if a Veteran is purchasing a home for $850,000 in Irvine, CA, the minimum down payment required would be $30,868. ($850,000 – $726,525 = $123,475. And 25% of $123,475 = $30,868). This means that a Veteran can purchase an $850,000 home in Orange County with only 3.63% down payment. The base VA loan amount would be $819,132.
Other Advantages of the VA Loan Program
There are several advantages the VA loan program has over most other types of home financing. They include:
- No monthly Mortgage Insurance or PMI, even when the down payment is less than 20% (or $0)
- Flexibility with Debt to Income Ratios – Many “Jumbo” loan programs limit the debt to income ratio to 43%. Some will go as high as 50%. Standard VA guidelines do not have a maximum debt to income ratio. It is not uncommon for a VA loan to be approved with the debt to income ratio being above 55% or even 60% in some cases. What is more important on a VA loan is the Residual Income calculation. *Debt to Income ratio is equal to a homebuyers total mortgage payment, installment payments (car, student loans, etc), minimum credit card payments, alimony, child support, etc divided by their total gross income before taxes. If a home buyer making $7,000 per month has a proposed mortgage payment of $2,500 and a car payment of $500, then their Debt to Income ratio is 42.8%. $2,500+$500 = $3,000. $3,000 / $7,000 = 42.8%
- Short wait period after a bankruptcy or foreclosure. While Conventional loan programs typically require a minimum of 4 years wait period after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and 7 years after a foreclosure, VA only requires a 2 year wait prior after a bankruptcy or foreclosure. It is important to reestablish credit after a significant credit event, but it is not unusual to see credit completely restored only 2 years after a major credit event.
- Competitive 30 year fixed interest rates – While VA does not have an “interest only” loan program, VA does have very solid 30 year fixed loan programs with interest rates that can quite often be lower than other comparable loan programs.
- Flexibility with FICO scoring. With Conventional loan programs, to get competitive loan pricing, the borrowers FICO score needs to be 740 or higher. With VA, there is very little difference in loan pricing between a borrower with a 740 FICO and a borrower with a 680 FICO. Even with a FICO of 620 it is possible for a Veteran to receive a competitive 30 year fixed interest rate.
Cashout Refinance to $726,525
The new loan limits will also help Orange County Veterans who already own a home and are looking to pull cash out for debt consolidation, home improvements, or almost any other purpose. VA allows “cash out” up to 100% of the property value up to the 100% loan limit. The new loan amount, including the VA Funding Fee, can be 100% of the property value. Also, properties valued higher than the $726,525 loan limit are eligible for even higher loan amounts. The formula for calculating the maximum Jumbo VA loan amount on a cash out refinance is similar to the formula for determining the loan amount on a Jumbo VA purchase. A Veteran who owns a home in Mission Viejo valued at $850,000 could get a new VA loan of $819,132.
Who is Eligible for a VA Loan?
You may be eligible for a VA loan if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You have served 90 consecutive days of active service during wartime, or…
- You have served 181 days of active service during peacetime, or…
- You have more than 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves, or…
- You are the spouse of a service member who has died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related disability.
It is important to understand that the VA loan program is not only for First Time Buyers. It can be used multiple times and in some cases, a Veteran can have more than one outstanding VA loan. Your eligibility does not “expire”. Your VA lender will help you to retrieve your Certificate of Eligibility. All that is needed is a copy of your DD214. And in some cases, the lender may not even need that.
Step 1 in the VA Loan Process
The first step in the VA loan process is contacting a local Orange County, CA VA lender. Working with a Loan Officer who specializes in the VA loan program is important and will help to ensure that your VA loan has the best chance of closing with as little stress as possible. The lender should be able to answer your questions and prepare a custom VA Mortgage Analysis based on your goals and budget.
Authored by Tim Storm, an Orange County VA Loan Officer specializing in VA Loan. MLO 223456. – Please contact my office at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. My direct line is 949-640-3102. I will prepare custom VA loan scenarios which will be matched up to your financial goals, both long and short-term. I also prepare a Video Explanation of your scenarios so that you are able to fully understand the numbers BEFORE you have started the loan process.
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