The 2026 Arizona VA Loan Guide
Your VA benefit, explained without the runaround: zero down, no monthly MI, and the funding fee most disabled veterans skip. Read it here or get it emailed.
What makes a VA loan different?
A VA loan is a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for eligible service members, veterans, and surviving spouses. It's the strongest loan in the country for those who qualify: zero down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive rates. In Arizona it works statewide, from Phoenix to Sierra Vista to Flagstaff.
Who qualifies, and what's a COE?
Eligibility comes down to service history — generally 90+ days active duty in wartime, 181+ in peacetime, or six years in the Guard or Reserves, plus surviving spouses in some cases. You prove it with a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA, which we can pull for you in most cases the same day. You can use your VA benefit more than once, and restore it after selling.
The VA funding fee (and who skips it)
Instead of monthly mortgage insurance, VA charges a one-time funding fee that can be rolled into the loan. First use with zero down is 2.15% of the loan; subsequent use is 3.3%. Put money down and the fee drops. If you receive VA disability compensation, you're exempt from the funding fee entirely — a major savings many eligible veterans don't realize they have.
| Scenario | Funding fee |
|---|---|
| First use, 0% down | 2.15% |
| Subsequent use, 0% down | 3.3% |
| Receiving VA disability | Exempt (0%) |
VA vs. conventional in Arizona
For an eligible buyer, VA almost always wins: no down payment, no monthly insurance, and no loan limit if you have full entitlement. Conventional can make sense if you're putting 20% down and want to preserve your VA benefit for later, or on a property type VA won't finance. For most Arizona veterans buying a primary home, VA is the better deal.
Figures reflect current 2026 program guidelines; caps and terms change — confirm current numbers with a specialist. This is not a commitment to lend.