Plano and Allen
Established suburbs along US-75 and the Tollway
Popular areas: Plano, Allen, Murphy, Parker
Close to the Plano VA clinic and major employers. Mostly established neighborhoods with fewer special districts.
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VA loans in Collin County, TX
Moving to Plano, Frisco or McKinney for work, retiring north of Dallas, or already a Collin County Veteran? Here’s what a VA loan looks like in one of Texas’s fastest-growing counties: where Veterans live, the closest VA care, what taxes and special districts really cost, 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.
- My team reviews your application as soon as it comes in.
- If you qualify, you get a pre-approval letter and a full itemized estimate.
- If you’re not there yet, you get a clear plan to get ready.
$0Down with full entitlement
$0Property tax on your homestead with a 100% VA rating
$0Funding fee if you receive VA disability pay
No limitVA loan limit with full entitlement. What you can borrow is set by your income, not a cap.
Short answer: Yes, you can buy anywhere in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen and the rest of Collin County with a VA loan and no down payment, and there’s no VA loan limit with full entitlement, which matters at Collin County prices. There’s no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase. The detail that changes your payment most here is the MUD or PID on many newer homes.
Collin County
Where Veterans buy in Collin County
Collin County runs from established Plano north into some of the fastest-growing towns in the country. The farther north you go, the newer the homes, and the more likely a special district is on the tax bill.
Frisco
Collin and Denton counties, along the Tollway
Popular areas: Frisco, the neighborhoods on both sides of the Dallas North Tollway
Newer homes and higher prices. Part of Frisco is in Denton County, so check which county and school district.
McKinney
County seat, along US-75
Popular areas: McKinney’s historic downtown, west and north McKinney
A mix of older homes near downtown and new subdivisions. Many new areas carry a MUD or PID.
Prosper, Celina and Princeton
The northern growth corridor
Popular areas: Prosper, Celina, Anna, Melissa, Princeton
Lots of new construction and builder incentives, and many special districts. Price the full tax rate first.
Nearest VA care: Garland VA Medical Center (Garland, southeast of Plano) · Dallas VA Medical Center (South Lancaster Road, Dallas), plus VA clinics nearby.
All VA locations near Collin County
U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic
West 15th Street, Plano
Garland VA Medical Center
Garland, southeast of Plano
Dallas VA Medical Center
South Lancaster Road, Dallas
Sherman VA Clinic
Texoma Parkway, Sherman, north of the county
Locations from VA.gov. Services change, so confirm with the VA before you count on a specific clinic.
Collin County and nearby counties
Property taxes: the number to check on every address
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 Collin County, homeowners pay about 1.58% of their home’s value in property tax each year on average. 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.
Disabled Veteran exemptions
- 100% disabled, or paid at 100% for individual unemployability: total exemption on your homestead. You pay no property tax on your home.
| 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 |
What that’s worth in Collin County: on a $450,000 to $550,000 home in Collin County at the county’s average 1.58% effective rate, a 100% rating eliminates about $7,100 to $8,700 a year in property taxes, and often more on a home you just bought.
- Veterans 65 or older with a rating of at least 10% get the $12,000 amount.
- Surviving spouses may keep the exemption.
You apply with the appraisal district once you own and live in the home. How the exemptions work
What this means at closing
- Your estimate uses the full tax rate for the address, before exemptions, until the exemption is on file.
- Escrow starts with two months of taxes and two months of insurance.
- Texas is a community property state. If you’re married, your spouse’s debts are counted when we qualify you, even if your spouse isn’t on the loan.
- Nearby counties: Denton (west Frisco, Little Elm) about 1.61%. My team uses the exact rate for your address in your estimate.
Average effective rates are median property taxes paid divided by median home value for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. They include exemptions current owners already receive.
Moving to Collin County
Buying from another state
- Get pre-approved before you house-hunt. Retirement pay, VA disability pay, Social Security and wages all count. My team can pull your Certificate of Eligibility for you.
- Pick the area, then the home. Tell my team where you work and which towns you like, and we’ll connect you with a Collin County agent who knows VA offers and new construction. Military realtor network
- Close remotely if you need to. Texas allows remote closings for most loans, so you can sign before you arrive. How remote closings work
- Move in and file your homestead. A VA loan is for the home you live in, usually within about 60 days. File your Texas homestead and any disabled Veteran exemption once you’re in. Texas also has no state income tax on your retirement pay.
Retiring or separating in Collin County
Settling in Collin County
Many Veterans move to Collin County for second careers with the big employers along the Tollway and US-75, and stay for the schools and amenities.
Why Veterans settle in Collin County
- No VA loan limit with full entitlement: $0 down even at Collin County prices, based on your income.
- No state income tax: your military retirement and Social Security aren’t taxed by Texas.
- Second careers: corporate headquarters and tech employers here hire a lot of Veterans.
Qualifying after you separate
- Military retirement pay and VA disability pay both count as income. VA disability isn’t taxed, which helps your numbers.
- Starting a civilian job? A signed offer with a start date can be used to qualify. Tell my team your separation and start dates early.
- Your benefit doesn’t expire. If you sold your last VA home and paid off that loan, your full entitlement comes back.
If you have a VA disability rating
The benefits that stack in Collin County
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.
- No VA funding fee. Veterans who receive or are entitled to VA disability compensation are exempt. If your rating is awarded after closing with an effective date before it, you may be due a refund.
- Disability pay counts as income toward qualifying, alongside any retirement pay or wages.
- A lower Texas Vet rate. Veterans rated 30% or more get a rate discount on the Texas Vet loan. Disabled Veteran mortgage benefits
- Property tax relief. A total homestead exemption at 100% (or individual unemployability), or $5,000 to $12,000 off taxable value for ratings of 10% to 99%. On a $450,000 to $550,000 Collin County home, 100% can mean about $7,100 to $8,700 or more a year. See the tax section
- Adaptive housing grants. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities may qualify for a Specially Adapted Housing or Special Housing Adaptation grant, which can be used with a VA loan to buy, build or modify an accessible home.
Waiting on a claim? Tell my team. Your expected rating can change your funding fee and your taxes, so we plan around it.
Guard, Reserve and surviving spouses
The VA benefit isn’t only for active duty
National Guard and Reserve
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
Surviving spouses
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.
Already a VA homeowner
Own a home already? You still have options
Kept a home at your last duty station?
You don’t have to sell it to buy in Collin County. Your remaining entitlement can often buy your next home with $0 down while the first one stays a rental. Second VA loan calculator
Lower your rate or tap equity
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.
Buying a home with an assumable VA loan
Some Collin County 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
Hold on to your rate when you move
Moving again later? You can keep your Collin County home as a rental and keep its VA loan and rate in place.
Local know-how
What trips up Collin County buyers
MUD and PID fees
Many newer neighborhoods, especially in Prosper, Celina, Princeton and north McKinney, add a municipal utility district (MUD) or public improvement district (PID) to the tax bill. Two homes at the same price can carry very different payments, so we price the exact address.
New construction and builder incentives
With so many new communities, builders often offer incentives. The builder or seller can pay all your normal closing costs, plus up to 4% of the price in concessions, which can pay down your other debts. Seller-paid costs on a VA loan
Hail and roof age
North Texas is hail country, and insurers price that in. Get an insurance quote early, and on resale homes ask how old the roof is. VA property requirements
Competitive offers
In popular Plano and Frisco neighborhoods, VA buyers sometimes compete with cash. A strong pre-approval from my team, and knowing how to handle a low appraisal, keeps your offer in the running. Appraisal gaps on a VA loan
Land and new construction
Want to build in Collin County?
The northern and eastern parts of the county still have land for custom homes, especially around Celina, Farmersville and Blue Ridge. 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.
VA loan or Texas Vet loan
Two Veteran programs, one comparison
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
Collin County VA loan FAQs
Questions from Collin County Veterans
How much do I need down for a VA loan in Collin County?
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.
Can I buy a home in Collin County before I move to Texas?
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.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan in Collin County?
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.
Do disabled Veterans pay property taxes in Collin County?
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%.
Can I use my VA loan in Collin County if I still own another home?
Often, yes. If you keep your current VA home as a rental, your remaining entitlement can usually buy your Collin County 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.
Can a surviving spouse get a VA loan in Collin County?
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.
Should I use a VA loan or a Texas Vet loan in Collin County?
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.
Is there a VA loan limit for expensive homes in Plano or Frisco?
Not if you have full VA entitlement. There’s no VA loan limit, so you can buy with $0 down as long as you qualify on your income. The county limit only comes into play if you still have another VA loan.
Reviews
What Texas Veterans say
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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 .
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