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La Mesa sits minutes from major San Diego bases. That makes VA loans one of the most-used purchase tools in this zip code.
San Diego County has one of the largest veteran populations in the country. VA lending here is not a niche — it's mainstream.
0%
Down Payment
620
Typical Min Score
No cap
Loan Limit (Full Entitlement)
None
Monthly Mortgage Insurance
1.25% – 3.3%
VA Funding Fee
30 days
Typical Close Time
VA Loans in La Mesa
You need a Certificate of Eligibility and at least 90 days active duty, or 181 days during peacetime. National Guard and Reserve members qualify after six years.
Most lenders want a 620 credit score. VA has no official minimum, but lenders set their own overlays. Surviving spouses of service members may also qualify.
Local decision guide
Use this guide to connect va loans eligibility, lender expectations, and local market factors before comparing payment options in La Mesa.
La Mesa sits minutes from major San Diego bases. That makes VA loans one of the most-used purchase tools in this zip code.
San Diego County has one of the largest veteran populations in the country. VA lending here is not a niche — it's mainstream.
You need a Certificate of Eligibility and at least 90 days active duty, or 181 days during peacetime. National Guard and Reserve members qualify after six years.
Not every lender prices VA loans the same. Big banks often add margin. Wholesale lenders we work with frequently beat retail rates on VA products.
Some lenders layer on overlays — stricter rules than VA actually requires. Shopping across 200+ wholesale lenders means we find who's actually competitive this week.
The VA funding fee trips up a lot of buyers. It ranges from 1.25% to 3.3% of the loan amount depending on down payment and prior use. Disabled veterans are exempt.
Sellers in La Mesa occasionally push back on VA appraisals. A good broker anticipates this and frames the offer to hold up under scrutiny. We do this constantly.
FHA requires 3.5% down and charges monthly mortgage insurance. VA requires zero down and has no monthly mortgage insurance — ever.
Conventional loans at 5% down still carry PMI until you hit 20% equity. VA saves that monthly cost from day one. For active-duty buyers, that difference adds up fast.
La Mesa's proximity to Naval Air Station North Island and MCAS Miramar means many buyers here are PCS-ing on tight timelines. VA loans can close in 30 days with the right lender.
As of April 2026, full VA entitlement borrowers in San Diego County face no loan limit. That opens the door to higher-priced La Mesa properties without a jumbo workaround.
Yes, if you have full entitlement. You can finance 100% of the purchase price with no down payment required.
Not if you have full entitlement. Loan limits only apply if you have remaining entitlement from a prior VA loan.
VA sets no official minimum. Most lenders we work with require a 620. A few go lower with compensating factors.
It's a one-time fee between 1.25% and 3.3% of the loan. You can roll it into the loan — no cash out of pocket needed.
VA appraisers check minimum property conditions. Most La Mesa homes pass, but fixer-uppers can cause issues.
Yes. Unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or from a service-related disability are eligible.