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West Hollywood homes routinely sell above LA County's 2026 VA loan limit of $1,249,125. That creates a split market for veterans.
Properties under the limit get 100% financing. Above it, you put down 25% of the excess—still better than 20% on a conventional jumbo.
Most veteran buyers here target condos near Santa Monica Boulevard or smaller single-family homes in the flats. Anything on the hills blows past conforming limits.
The WeHo condo market favors VA borrowers. No down payment beats competing with cash-heavy buyers putting down 30%.
VA Loans in West Hollywood
You need a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA and at least 90 consecutive days of active duty during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. National Guard members qualify after six years.
Credit minimums hit 580-620 depending on the lender. Most require two years since bankruptcy, one year since foreclosure if VA-related.
Debt-to-income can stretch to 50% with strong residual income. VA uses regional tables—higher housing costs in WeHo mean you need more monthly cushion.
No reserve requirements exist, but compensating factors help above 45% DTI. Lenders want to see cash savings even when guidelines don't require it.
Local decision guide
Use this guide to connect va loans eligibility, lender expectations, and local market factors before comparing payment options in West Hollywood.
West Hollywood homes routinely sell above LA County's 2026 VA loan limit of $1,249,125. That creates a split market for veterans.
Properties under the limit get 100% financing. Above it, you put down 25% of the excess—still better than 20% on a conventional jumbo.
Most veteran buyers here target condos near Santa Monica Boulevard or smaller single-family homes in the flats. Anything on the hills blows past conforming limits.
Twenty lenders in our network handle VA loans, but only eight move fast enough for West Hollywood's market. Offer deadlines here run 3-5 days.
Credit unions beat banks on rates by 0.125-0.25%. They also waive lender fees more often, saving $1,500-$2,000 at closing.
For high-balance VA loans above the conforming limit, your options drop to five lenders. Rate premiums run 0.375-0.5% versus standard VA rates.
Watch the funding fee. First-time use costs 2.15% of the loan amount unless you're exempt for disability. That's $16,500 on a $832,750 loan.
Most WeHo listing agents don't understand VA appraisals. They panic about peeling paint or missing handrails when those rarely kill deals anymore.
The 2019 VA appraisal changes removed most deal-breakers. Chipped paint is fine. Broken windows aren't. We pre-educate sellers before submitting offers.
Condos need VA approval, and half of West Hollywood's buildings aren't on the list. We check approval status before showing properties to save time.
Sellers worry VA buyers can't compete. We structure offers with appraisal gap coverage up to $25,000 when buyers have reserves. That neutralizes the stigma.
Conventional loans require 5% down minimum. On a $750,000 WeHo condo, that's $37,500 versus zero for VA.
FHA loans cap at $644,000 in LA County and charge both upfront and annual mortgage insurance. VA's funding fee is lower and has no annual component.
Jumbo loans demand 10-20% down and perfect credit. VA high-balance loans require zero down under the limit, 25% only on the excess above $832,750.
For a $900,000 property, VA requires $33,363 down. Conventional jumbo wants $180,000. That difference keeps veterans competitive in this market.
West Hollywood is unincorporated LA County for tax purposes but has city services. That confuses appraisers who pull comps from both WeHo and Beverly Hills.
HOA fees run $400-$800 monthly in most WeHo condos. VA counts that in your debt ratio, which tightens qualification on smaller units.
Rent control doesn't affect owner-occupied purchases, but resale gets complicated if you convert to a rental later. VA buyers need exit strategy clarity.
Parking is a hidden cost. Many condos charge $200-$300 monthly per space on top of HOA dues. Factor that into residual income calculations.
Yes, if the building is VA-approved. About half of WeHo condos have approval. We check the VA's condo database before you tour properties.
You put down 25% of the amount above the limit. On an $850,000 home, that's $20,863 down—still far less than conventional jumbo requirements.
Yes, when structured properly. We add appraisal gap coverage and fast close timelines to compete with conventional buyers.
18-25 days from contract to closing with the right lender. COE processing adds 7-10 days if you don't have yours yet.
No. VA rules require an appraisal and won't let you pay more than appraised value without cash to cover the gap.
Not with strong pre-approval and gap coverage. We've closed 40+ VA deals here against all-cash offers by positioning them correctly.