Home / Texas cities & bases / Austin
Taking a tech or state job, drilling with the Guard at Camp Mabry, or already a Travis County Veteran? Here’s what a VA loan looks like in Austin: which side of town fits your commute, how special district taxes change the payment in newer neighborhoods, where VA care is, and every benefit that stacks if you have a disability rating.
Check Your Eligibility Book a 15-Minute Call
✓ Soft credit pull only. Applying won’t affect your credit score.
Short answer: Yes, you can buy in Austin and the surrounding suburbs with a VA loan and no down payment, as long as you’ll live in the home. There’s no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase, and with full entitlement there’s no VA loan limit, which matters at Austin prices. Many newer homes around Austin sit in a MUD or PID, so my team prices the exact address before you write an offer.
Austin’s VA clinic sits in southeast Austin near the airport, the Cedar Park VA Clinic covers the northwest suburbs, and the full VA medical center is up I-35 in Temple. Camp Mabry, headquarters of the Texas Military Department, is in central Austin off MoPac.
Near the airport, off SH 71 and US-183
Popular areas: Southeast Austin, Del Valle, the neighborhoods off McKinney Falls Parkway and William Cannon Drive
The closest homes to the Austin VA Clinic on Metropolis Drive. Many subdivisions out here are newer and sit in special districts, so compare full tax rates.
Northeast along SH 130 and US-290
Popular areas: Pflugerville, Wells Branch, Manor, the subdivisions east of SH 130
Large newer neighborhoods with prices below central Austin. SH 130 and SH 45 are toll roads, so price the tolls into your commute.
Along US-183, 183A and Parmer Lane
Popular areas: Northwest Austin, Anderson Mill, Cedar Park, Leander
Close to the Cedar Park VA Clinic on Medical Parkway. The MetroRail Red Line runs from Leander into downtown.
South along I-35 in Hays County
Popular areas: Buda, Kyle, the subdivisions off FM 1626 and FM 150
Fast-growing towns with many new builds. Hays County sets its own tax rates, and many neighborhoods add a MUD or PID.
Austin traffic funnels onto a few north-south routes: I-35 through the middle of town, MoPac (Loop 1) on the west side, and SH 130 as a tolled bypass to the east. SH 45, US-183A and parts of US-290 are tolled too. A home that looks cheaper in Manor or Kyle can cost more each month once tolls and gas are added, so drive the route at rush hour before you choose.
If you’ll use SH 130 or SH 45 every day, add the tolls to your monthly budget. My team doesn’t count tolls in your qualifying ratio, but your wallet will.
If you work from home most days, a longer drive may be fine. Tell my team how your employer pays you, because remote income is documented the same way as office income.
Austin’s airport sits on the former Bergstrom Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. Southeast Austin homes near it fall under the airport’s flight paths, so visit at different times of day.
Central Austin prices run well above most of Texas, and that’s where a VA loan’s lack of a loan limit helps. With full entitlement, the VA doesn’t cap how much you can borrow with $0 down; you only need to qualify for the payment. If part of your entitlement is still tied up in another VA loan, the Travis County limit sets how much you can borrow before a down payment comes in.
Many buyers trade drive time for price by looking at Pflugerville, Manor, Kyle or Buda instead. My team can run both addresses side by side, including the full tax rate, so you see the real difference.
District lines around Austin cross city limits and even county lines. Below are the districts that cover the four Austin areas above, each with its overall A–F accountability grade from the Texas Education Agency.
| School district | Serves | TEA rating (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Austin ISD | Most of the City of Austin, including much of southeast and northwest Austin | See TEA |
| Del Valle ISD | Del Valle and parts of southeast Austin and eastern Travis County | See TEA |
| Pflugerville ISD | Pflugerville, Wells Branch and parts of northeast Austin | See TEA |
| Manor ISD | Manor and parts of northeast Travis County | See TEA |
| Leander ISD | Leander, most of Cedar Park and part of northwest Austin | See TEA |
| Hays CISD | Kyle, Buda and much of northern Hays County | See TEA |
District ratings are the Texas Education Agency’s A–F accountability ratings. Attendance zones follow the address, not the city name, so check the district and campus for any home before you make an offer.
Nearest VA care: Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center (Veterans Memorial Drive, Temple), plus VA clinics nearby.
Veterans Memorial Drive, Temple
Metropolis Drive, southeast Austin
Medical Parkway, Cedar Park
Saint Marks Place, La Grange
Locations from VA.gov. Services change, so confirm with the VA before you count on a specific clinic.
Texas has no state income tax, so local property taxes carry more of the load. Your bill is the sum of the county, city, school district and any special districts for that exact property. In Travis County, as everywhere in Texas, my team uses the full rate for the exact address. A newly purchased home often runs higher, because its value isn’t yet held down by the 10% yearly homestead cap, and two homes a mile apart can differ a lot.
| VA disability rating | Off your home’s taxable value |
|---|---|
| 10% to 29% | $5,000 |
| 30% to 49% | $7,500 |
| 50% to 69% | $10,000 |
| 70% to 99% | $12,000 |
| 100% or individual unemployability | Full homestead exemption |
You apply with the appraisal district once you own and live in the home. How the exemptions work
Most of the growth around Austin has come in subdivisions built with a Municipal Utility District (MUD) or a Public Improvement District (PID). A MUD tax or PID assessment is added to the county, city and school rates, so it raises your monthly payment, and it counts when my team qualifies you.
Austin gives Veterans a large VA clinic in town, the full VA medical center an hour or so up I-35, a strong job market for second careers, and no state income tax on retirement pay.
Disabled Veterans can combine federal and Texas benefits that most buyers never hear about. Together they can lower your cash to close, your rate and your yearly taxes.
Waiting on a claim? Tell my team. Your expected rating can change your funding fee and your taxes, so we plan around it.
You can earn VA loan eligibility through six years of Guard or Reserve service, or through qualifying active-duty time such as a federal activation. Your Certificate of Eligibility confirms it, and my team can pull it for you. Reservists and VA loans in Texas
If your spouse died in service or from a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for a VA loan with the same $0 down benefit. Surviving spouses who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) don’t pay the funding fee, and a Texas disabled Veteran property tax exemption can continue for a surviving spouse who hasn’t remarried. We handle these files with extra care and can walk you through the paperwork.
You don’t have to sell it to buy in Austin. Your remaining entitlement can often buy your next home with $0 down while the first one stays a rental. Second VA loan calculator
A VA streamline refinance (IRRRL) can lower the rate on your current VA loan with less paperwork. A VA cash-out refinance lets you use your equity for repairs or debts.
Some Austin sellers have older VA loans with low rates you may be able to take over. The seller’s loan servicer handles the assumption itself. My team can finance the second loan that covers the gap between the loan balance and the price. VA assumable loans
Moving again later? You can keep your Austin home as a rental and keep its VA loan and rate in place.
Builders around Austin often offer closing cost help. VA rules cap seller concessions at 4% of the price, though normal closing costs paid by the seller don’t count toward that cap. My team checks the contract before you sign.
Central Texas storms can flood creeks and low roads in minutes. If your route to work crosses a low-water crossing, have a backup route, and check the FEMA flood map for the address.
Some homes in eastern Travis County and Hays County use septic systems. The VA appraisal can call for an inspection, so plan for it in your option period. VA property requirements
Spring hail is common across the Austin area. Ask how old the roof is, and get a homeowners insurance quote early because it goes into your payment.
Bastrop, Caldwell and Burnet counties still have acreage for Veterans who want a new home on their own lot, with a VA construction loan starting at a 620 credit score. A VA one-time-close construction loan covers the land and the build in one loan: $0 down up to $1 million, with a 620 minimum credit score. In Texas, a Texas Vet loan can also pay off a separate construction loan once the home is finished. It’s treated as a purchase of a never-occupied home, and my team can handle that too.
The Texas Vet loan from the Texas Veterans Land Board is available to eligible Texas Veterans and can be paired with a VA loan. Its rate is set weekly, and Veterans rated 30% or more disabled get a lower rate. My team prices both and shows them side by side so you can pick on total cost, not a headline rate. Texas Vet vs. VA loan
Nothing, if you have full VA entitlement. There is no VA loan limit with full entitlement and no monthly mortgage insurance. The VA funding fee can be rolled into the loan, and Veterans who receive VA disability compensation are exempt from it.
Yes. You can be pre-approved, shop remotely and close before you arrive, as long as you intend to move in and make the home your primary residence, usually within about 60 days. Retirement pay, VA disability pay and Social Security all count as income.
There is no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase or refinance with my team. We look first at your residual income, the money left each month after your housing payment and bills. VA construction loans start at a 620 score.
Texas Veterans rated 100% disabled, or paid at the 100% rate for individual unemployability, can get a total exemption on their homestead. Veterans rated 10% to 99% get a partial exemption off the home’s taxable value: $5,000 at 10% to 29%, $7,500 at 30% to 49%, $10,000 at 50% to 69% and $12,000 at 70% to 99%.
Often, yes. If you keep your current VA home as a rental, your remaining entitlement can usually buy your Austin home with $0 down up to a certain price. Above that, you put 25% down on the difference. My team checks your exact numbers from your Certificate of Eligibility.
Yes, if you are an eligible surviving spouse, for example of a service member who died in service or from a service-connected disability. Surviving spouses who receive DIC are exempt from the VA funding fee.
Often both. The Texas Vet loan from the Texas Veterans Land Board can be paired with a VA loan, and its rate is set weekly. My team compares your options side by side so you can see which costs less over the time you plan to own.
Not if you have full entitlement. The VA doesn’t cap the loan amount for a buyer with full entitlement; you just need to qualify for the payment. If you still have a VA loan on another home, the Travis County limit decides how much you can borrow with $0 down. My team checks your Certificate of Eligibility first.
VA construction loan
Shirley and her team were an absolute pleasure to work with. They helped my wife and I obtain a VA Construction Loan which gave us the ability to build our dream home.
Agent referral · VA purchase in Houston
It was great working with Shirley Mueller and team on my buyer’s home purchase in Houston, TX. The VA home loan process isn’t always easy so, it was great to work with someone who specializes in VA loans. Shirley made the process easy. I highly recommend her. Jamie Terry- Priority One Real Estate
Agent referral · VA purchase
Shirley was excellent to work with on our client’s VA home loan. VA loans can be tricky and it is so important to work with a loan officer that knows them well. Shirley did an excellent job!
Switched from another lender
We had a nightmare of an experience with a previous lender but Shirley and Karolina went above and beyond to not only get us into our home, but provide the best customer service possible! They fought hard for us and thanks to them, we are finally living in our dream home. I highly recommend valoanstexas!
VA purchase
Working with the VALoansTx team to purchase our home in Texas was an amazing experience. Shirley, Angie, Ashley, and their team were in constant communication with us, making sure that we knew what to expect with every step of the complicated process. In today’s crazy housing market, it was comforting to know that we had an entire team that was only a phone call away. They were quick to answer calls, emails and always very friendly and personable. We could not have achieved this dream without VALoansTx on our team. We will highly recommend to everyone we know buying a home with a VA loan.
VA purchase
Ms. Shirley and her team are the BEST. Clear communication, specialized VA knowledge, responsiveness, and reduced stress. Thank you all for your help .
My team will be in touch soon. No cost or obligation.
