Published Last updated
Florida VA Loans: Zero Down Financing for Service Members and Veterans
Florida has one of the largest veteran populations in the country. This guide covers VA eligibility, entitlement, the funding fee, condo approval, and the insurance realities that shape a Florida VA payment.
A Florida VA loan is a mortgage guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for eligible service members, veterans, and certain surviving spouses. It generally allows no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance on a primary residence. Florida-specific factors include condominium project approval, windstorm and flood insurance costs, and state property tax relief for qualifying disabled veterans.
- ✓VA financing generally allows zero down payment on a primary residence with no monthly mortgage insurance.
- ✓Eligibility is established through a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the VA.
- ✓The VA funding fee varies by service, down payment, and prior use, and is waived for certain veterans.
- ✓Condominiums must be in a VA-approved project.
- ✓Florida windstorm and flood insurance affect the payment and therefore qualifying ratios.
What this means for you: request your Certificate of Eligibility early, then budget the Florida insurance line accurately, because insurance, not the loan program, is what usually moves a Florida VA payment.
Pricing snapshot
Live ratesLive pricing. Rates are retrieved from our pricing provider when you run a scenario.Florida VA Loan Rates — Today's Options at a Glance
Four real options from today's wholesale pricing for one documented sample scenario per program — no form needed. Updated twice each business day, about 10 AM and 2 PM Eastern. Your own rate depends on your credit, down payment, property, state and lock date.
Live pricing tool
Live ratesLive pricing. Rates are retrieved from our pricing provider when you run a scenario.Live Florida VA Loan Rates — Price Your Florida Scenario
Enter your scenario to see live wholesale pricing for Florida and Colorado. Figures are illustrative and not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend; binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
VA mortgage pricing tool
Live ratesLive pricing. Rates are retrieved from our pricing provider when you run a scenario.Enter your scenario to see live wholesale VA pricing available to Simply Approved Mortgages for Florida and Colorado primary residences. Every figure shown comes from our pricing provider for the scenario you enter — nothing is estimated.
Pricing shown is based on the scenario entered and wholesale pricing available at the time of the search. It is not a rate lock, loan approval, commitment to lend, or guarantee of terms. Rates and pricing change frequently and expire. Your actual rate, APR, payment, and costs depend on a complete application, verified credit and income, property and appraisal review, and lender underwriting approval. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not affiliated with, acting on behalf of, or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or any other government agency.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC | NMLS #2620881 is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Scenarios this tool does not price
- VA construction and Native American Direct Loan pricing.
- Joint VA loans with a non-veteran, non-spouse co-borrower.
- Adjustable-rate VA pricing (the tool prices fixed-rate terms only).
Written by
Simply Approved Mortgages Team
Licensed Loan Officers · NMLS# 2620881
Get your personalized scenario summary
Complete the short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer sends back a written summary built from your own numbers: estimated payment breakdown, estimated cash to close, the loan structures that fit your file, and what documentation the file will need.
- Estimated monthly payment with taxes and insurance
- Estimated cash to close for your scenario
- Loan options your profile may fit
- Document checklist for your file
Takes about 3 minutes · Summary shown on screen and emailed to you
Illustration only, generated from the information you enter. Not a rate quote, lock, loan estimate, pre-qualification, offer, approval, or commitment to lend. Figures are subject to credit, income, asset and property review and full lender underwriting; binding numbers appear on your Loan Estimate.
Scenario summary
- Purchase price entered
- $412,000
- Down payment entered
- $20,600
- Estimated loan amount
- $391,400
- Estimated cash to close
- $14,300
- Programs reviewed
- 4
Sample layout with example figures — your own numbers replace these. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
Who is eligible for a VA loan in Florida
Eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not by the lender or broker. It is based on service history and character of discharge, and it also extends to certain surviving spouses. The document that proves eligibility is the Certificate of Eligibility, which is obtained from the VA. Nothing about Florida changes federal eligibility rules, but Florida's veteran population means many local sellers and listing agents are already familiar with VA transactions.
Entitlement and down payment
The VA guarantees a portion of the loan, which is why lenders can offer financing with no down payment on a primary residence. Full entitlement generally means no down payment is required within lender loan amount parameters. Reduced entitlement, which can happen when another VA loan is outstanding or after certain prior loan events, can require a down payment. Because entitlement math depends on your individual record, it should be confirmed against your Certificate of Eligibility before you rely on a zero-down assumption.
The VA funding fee
Most VA borrowers pay a one-time funding fee set by the VA, which can be financed into the loan. The amount depends on whether it is a first or subsequent use, the down payment, and the loan purpose. Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability, and certain other categories, are exempt from the funding fee. Exemption status appears on your Certificate of Eligibility. Because there is no monthly mortgage insurance on a VA loan, the funding fee is often the main program-specific cost to plan around.
Occupancy and property types
VA financing is for a primary residence you intend to occupy. Single-family homes, VA-approved condominiums, and two-to-four unit properties where you occupy one unit are common. Manufactured housing is possible in limited circumstances with additional requirements. Investment property purchases are not a VA loan purpose.
Want these numbers built around your file?
A short request is all it takes to get a written scenario summary back from a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate.
Florida condominiums and VA approval
Condominium purchases require the project to appear on the VA-approved list. Florida's inventory includes a large number of condominium projects, and approval status varies. Because Florida associations are also subject to state building-safety and reserve requirements that can affect a project's financial picture, condominium status should be verified before you write an offer rather than during underwriting.
Insurance realities in Florida
The VA sets appraisal and minimum property requirements, but insurance is where Florida differs most from other states. Windstorm coverage on coastal property and flood coverage where the home sits in a FEMA special flood hazard area both add to the monthly escrow. Those premiums count in your debt-to-income calculation. Obtaining real insurance quotes early, rather than using a national placeholder, prevents a pre-approval from overstating what you can comfortably carry.
Florida property tax relief for veterans
Florida provides property tax exemptions for qualifying veterans, including additional relief for veterans with service-connected disabilities and certain surviving spouses. Eligibility and application procedures are handled by the county property appraiser, and requirements are set by Florida law rather than by any lender. Because escrowed property taxes affect your monthly payment, confirming what you qualify for with the county can meaningfully change the number used in underwriting.
Refinance options
Two VA refinance paths exist. The Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan is a streamlined refinance of an existing VA loan. The VA cash-out refinance allows access to equity and can also be used to refinance a non-VA loan into VA financing when the borrower is eligible. Both have their own funding fee treatment and eligibility conditions.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and not a direct lender, and arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Program details are set by the VA and are subject to change; verify current requirements at VA.gov. All financing is subject to lender underwriting and approval, and nothing here is a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend.
What you can do with this loan
Buy a primary residence in Florida with no down payment when eligible.
Purchase a two-to-four unit property while occupying one unit.
Refinance an existing VA loan to a lower rate through an IRRRL.
Access equity through a VA cash-out refinance.
Avoid monthly mortgage insurance on a low-down-payment purchase.
Pros & cons — honest tradeoffs
Pros — Pros & cons
- +No down payment required on a primary residence with full entitlement.
- +No monthly mortgage insurance.
- +Funding fee exemption for veterans receiving VA disability compensation.
- +Reusable benefit with restorable entitlement.
Cons / watch-outs — Pros & cons
- −Funding fee applies unless you are exempt.
- −Primary residence occupancy is required; investment purchases are not eligible.
- −Condominiums must be in a VA-approved project.
- −Florida insurance costs still affect qualifying regardless of the loan program.
Compare loan officer compensation on your mortgage quote
Loan officer compensation is part of the cost of a mortgage. On eligible residential loans, Simply Approved Mortgages generally uses 1.5% lender-paid compensation. Enter the compensation shown on another lender's Loan Estimate to see the difference in dollars.
Compensation difference on this illustration: $3,750.
How lower compensation can help you
When less compensation is built into pricing, there can be room for a lower interest rate, which may lower your monthly payment.
Depending on the rate you choose, pricing can sometimes include a lender credit toward third-party closing costs, so you may bring less cash to closing.
A lower rate means a lower monthly payment, which can lower your debt-to-income ratio and may help you qualify for more home on the same income.
As a mortgage broker we compare pricing from wholesale lenders instead of offering a single bank’s retail pricing.
Tip: On page 2 of your Loan Estimate, look at Section A, "Origination Charges." If the lender pays the loan officer, that compensation usually does not appear there as its own line; it is built into the interest rate. That is why comparing the rate and any lender credits side by side matters.
Already have a Loan Estimate from another bank or broker? Share it with a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer, who will compare the rate, fees and credits side by side with options we can arrange. No cost to request a review.
Illustration only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend; binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate. Lender-paid compensation is paid by the lender, not directly by you, and is part of the loan's pricing, so the loan is not free of costs. A lower compensation figure does not by itself guarantee a lower rate or lower closing costs; individual results vary by credit, loan type, property and market conditions. Residential lending in FL and CO only. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS #2620881 · Equal Housing Opportunity.
Purchase market update
What buyers should know this month
30-Yr Fixed · national avg
—
Loading PMMS…
15-Yr Fixed · national avg
—
Loading PMMS…
2026 buying power
Conforming baseline: $832,750
FHA floor / ceiling: $541,287 – $1,249,125
Get the COE first
Your Certificate of Eligibility settles entitlement and funding fee exemption before you shop.
Insurance drives the payment
Wind and flood premiums in Florida affect debt-to-income more than most buyers expect.
Check condo approval early
A Florida condominium must be in a VA-approved project.
Cost and payment tools
Run your payment, affordability, closing cost and refinance numbers
Monthly payment, affordability, closing costs, refinance break-even and early payoff, all on one screen. This page is not written for one state, so property tax, insurance and transfer or recording charges start at neutral placeholder assumptions rather than published averages — Transfer, documentary-stamp and recording charges are set by your state and county — enter your own figure, or open the state page for a sourced seed. Insurance and tax assumptions vary widely by state, county and property, so replace these starting values with quotes for your address. Every figure is an illustrative estimate, not a quote, lock, offer, approval, or commitment to lend.
Your inputs
Estimated result
- Down payment
- $20,000
- Loan amount
- $380,000
- Principal & interest
- $2,402
- Property tax
- $333/mo
- Homeowners insurance
- $167/mo
- Estimated total monthly
- $2,902/mo
Reference sources: Tax Foundation — property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value, NAIC — Homeowners Insurance Report, CFPB — Understanding your Loan Estimate.
Assumptions, methodology, and limitations
Principal and interest use the standard amortization formula on the loan amount you enter. This page does not target a single state, so the property tax and insurance fields start at neutral placeholder assumptions rather than published averages — replace them with figures for your own address, or open the matching state page for sourced seeds. Closing costs apply your state's transfer / documentary-stamp practice (0.00% of price used as the buyer-side seed) plus typical title, recording, appraisal, credit and prepaid escrow lines. Refinance break-even divides your entered costs by the monthly payment difference. Early payoff runs a month-by-month amortization with your extra principal.
These tools do not include mortgage insurance, funding or guarantee fees, HOA special assessments, flood or windstorm premiums, seller credits, lender credits, discount points, or county and municipal charges specific to your parcel. Statewide averages will not match any individual property. Figures are estimates only.
Illustrative only. Binding figures appear on your Loan Estimate, and terms vary by borrower, property, lender, program, and state.
Turn these estimates into real numbers
Send your scenario to a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer and get a written summary back, or compare where rates sit today. Educational only — not a quote, lock, offer, approval, or commitment to lend.
Florida VA loan questions
Answers to the most common Florida VA loan questions, written by licensed loan officers.
Ask SAM anything about mortgages
SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant. It answers general questions using the reviewed guides published on this site and links you to the primary government source. It is educational only — it does not quote a rate, payment, APR, approval or commitment to lend. A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
Hi, I'm SAM — an AI assistant for Simply Approved Mortgages. I can explain loan programs, closing costs, DTI, down payments and which calculator or guide to use. I'm not a licensed loan officer, and nothing here is a quote, approval or commitment to lend.
Ask Sam AI provides general educational information only. It is an automated assistant, may be incomplete or out of date, and does not provide legal, tax or financial advice. Nothing it produces is a rate quote, APR, pre-approval, offer or commitment to lend. Never share a Social Security number, ITIN, date of birth, account number or password in chat. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Eligibility, terms, conditions and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program and state, and all loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Trusted government resources
These independent government resources can help you research mortgage programs, rates, and your rights before you apply.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA — Home Loan Program
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA — Certificate of Eligibility
Florida Department of Revenue
Florida Department of Revenue — Property Tax Exemptions
Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with HUD, the CFPB, the FTC, the VA, or any other government agency. Links are provided for your independent verification.
How this page connects
Where this fits in the VA lending library
This is our Florida page for VA loans.
What most readers open next
- Requesting a Certificate of EligibilityBecause the COE is what proves entitlement before an offer.
- The entitlement worksheetBecause remaining entitlement decides whether a down payment is needed.
- VA residual income minimumsBecause VA underwriting tests leftover income, not just ratios.
- VA appraisal and Minimum Property RequirementsBecause MPRs decide whether a property can be financed at all.
- The VA IRRRL refinanceBecause the streamlined path once the loan is in place.
Explore the full guide
Keep reading — the rest of the buying playbook
Each of these is a deep-dive on one piece of the purchase mortgage process. Bookmark whichever you need next.
Guide
VA Loans
The national VA program guide.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Loan Rates
How VA pricing is set and what moves it.
Read the guide →Guide
VA vs FHA
Compare the two low-down-payment programs.
Read the guide →Guide
VA Funding Fees
Current fee tiers and exemptions.
Read the guide →Guide
Florida Purchase Mortgages
The wider Florida buying process.
Read the guide →Guide
Florida Wind and Insurance
How coverage affects your Florida payment.
Read the guide →Guide
Florida FHA Loans
The FHA alternative in Florida.
Read the guide →By state and city
VA Home Loans by State, City, and County
County loan limits, property taxes, insurance costs, and market conditions change what this program looks like locally. Pick your market for the version written for it. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado.
Internal library
Related mortgage guides across our library
Follow the next relevant guide for your scenario.
Start My Approval
Complete this short request and a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will personally review your scenario. The form only asks what your program actually needs. Submitting it is not an application for credit and is not a commitment to lend.
Tell us about your scenario
The form below is tailored to VA loan — only the questions and documents your program needs.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only. We ask first so we never collect a mortgage inquiry we are not licensed to act on.
VA loans allow $0 down for eligible service. Purchase price is enough to size the loan.
A range is enough here — no credit report is pulled and your credit is not affected.
Illustrative estimate only — not a quote, rate lock, offer of credit, or commitment to lend.
Submitting this form is not an application for credit and is not a commitment to lend. No credit report is pulled at this step.
Follow our reporting
Add Simply Approved Mortgages as a preferred source on Google
We update these guides as HUD, FHFA, VA, USDA and CFPB publish new figures. If you want our updates to show up more often when you search Google, you can mark us as a preferred source from the Top Stories carousel:
- 1Sign in to your Google account and search a mortgage topic such as "mortgage rates".
- 2Select the icon next to "Top stories" to open the preferred sources panel.
- 3Search for Simply Approved Mortgages, tick the box, and save.
Preferred sources is a Google Search feature controlled entirely by you and by Google. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) does not control search results and makes no representation about how or whether our content will appear. Educational content only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend.
Simplify Your Mortgage Journey with These Resources
Talk To A Loan Officer
A Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will personally connect with you to walk through your options.
Mortgage insights & guides
Plain-language articles to help you understand the home loan process, save on closing costs, and make confident decisions.
7 things every first-time homebuyer should know before applying
From credit prep to down payment assistance, here’s how to walk into your first mortgage application with confidence.
Using your VA loan benefit: a step-by-step guide
Eligibility, the Certificate of Eligibility, funding fees, and how to maximize zero-down purchasing power.
Where your closing costs actually go (and where you can save)
A line-by-line breakdown of the Loan Estimate and the fees that are negotiable versus fixed.
Equal Housing OpportunityMortgage Broker — Not a LenderNMLS ID# 2620881NMLS Consumer AccessFlorida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685Colorado Mortgage Company RegistrationLicensing & Disclosures
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC | NMLS #2620881
Florida Branch Office (Miami, FL) | Branch NMLS #2688012
Florida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685 | Colorado Mortgage Company Registration
Business Phone: (877) 813-7219
Equal Housing Opportunity
Broker identification. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. We arrange residential mortgage loans with third-party wholesale lenders and do not make the lender's final credit decision or fund the loan. We arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado. Business-purpose mortgage products may be arranged in additional states only where permitted by applicable law and pursuant to applicable licensing requirements or exemptions.
Credit and program terms. All loans are subject to lender credit approval, underwriting, acceptable appraisal or valuation when required, title review, insurance, and supporting documentation. Eligibility, programs, rates, APRs, points, lender credits, fees, payments, terms, loan amounts, down-payment requirements, mortgage insurance, and availability may vary based on borrower, property, occupancy, credit profile, loan-to-value ratio, debt-to-income ratio, lender, loan program, and state and may change without notice. Not all applicants, properties, products, or programs will qualify or be available in every state. Nothing on this site constitutes a loan approval, rate lock, offer, commitment to lend, guarantee of approval, or guarantee of terms or closing.
Rates, payments and calculators. Rates, APRs, payments, down payments, loan amounts, home values, estimated equity, savings, affordability estimates, closing costs, and other calculator or scenario results displayed on this site are estimates or illustrations unless expressly stated otherwise. Actual loan terms may differ. Taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, association dues, lender charges, broker compensation, discount points, third-party charges, and other costs may apply. Advertised rates, payments, APRs, down payments, and other credit terms are subject to the assumptions and disclosures presented with the applicable advertisement. Applicable loan terms and disclosures will be provided as required for the particular transaction.
Mortgage products. FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, non-QM, HELOC, reverse mortgage, down-payment-assistance, investment-property, DSCR, and other mortgage products referenced on this site are subject to their individual eligibility, underwriting, property, occupancy, and program requirements. Product availability varies by lender and jurisdiction. References to a mortgage product or program do not constitute a determination that a borrower or property qualifies.
Government-backed programs. Government-backed or government-insured mortgage programs referenced on this site may be subject to requirements established by the applicable government agency in addition to lender requirements. Government insurance or guaranties generally protect participating lenders against certain losses and do not constitute a guarantee of borrower approval.
Business-purpose products. DSCR, investment-property, and other business-purpose mortgage products referenced on this site are intended for qualifying business-purpose transactions. Business-purpose loans may be subject to different requirements and protections than consumer-purpose residential mortgage loans. Borrowers are responsible for accurately disclosing property occupancy and intended use.
Down payment assistance. Down payment or closing-cost assistance programs referenced on this site may be administered by governmental entities, housing finance agencies, nonprofit organizations, lenders, or other third parties. Program availability, funding, assistance amounts, eligibility requirements, repayment or forgiveness provisions, and other terms vary and may change or become unavailable without notice. Listing or referencing a program does not guarantee funding, eligibility, or mortgage approval.
Government affiliation. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not a government agency and is not affiliated with, acting on behalf of, sponsored by, or endorsed by HUD, FHA, VA, USDA, or any other federal, state, or local government agency. References to government agencies, programs, benefits, data, forms, or resources are provided for informational purposes and do not imply government sponsorship or endorsement of Simply Approved Mortgages LLC.
Fair lending. Equal Housing Opportunity. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC conducts business in accordance with applicable federal and state fair-housing and equal-credit-opportunity laws and does not discriminate on any prohibited basis.
No professional advice. Content on this site is educational and general in nature and is not legal, tax, accounting, financial, investment, estate-planning, or individualized government-benefits advice. Consumers should consult appropriate qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances.
Third-party content. References or links to government agencies, lenders, assistance programs, products, services, or other third-party websites are provided for informational purposes or convenience. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC does not control and is not responsible for third-party content, availability, accuracy, or privacy practices.
NMLS Consumer Access: Verify Simply Approved Mortgages LLC, NMLS #2620881.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC, 633 W 5th St, Ste 2600, Los Angeles, CA 90071 · 877-813-7219 · support@simplyapprovedmortgages.com. State licensing details available at the NMLS Consumer Access link above. © 2026 Simply Approved Mortgages LLC.