South Dallas County
Closest to the Dallas VA Medical Center
Popular areas: DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Lancaster, Oak Cliff
More home for the money and a short drive to the Dallas VA Medical Center on South Lancaster Road.
Home / Texas cities & bases / Dallas
VA loans in Dallas, TX
Retiring in North Texas, starting a second career in Dallas, or already a Dallas County Veteran? Here’s what a VA loan looks like in Dallas: where Veterans live, the two VA medical centers nearby, what Dallas County taxes 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 Dallas and the surrounding counties with a VA loan and no down payment. There’s no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase. In Dallas, the details that change your payment most are the property tax rate on the address, hail and homeowners insurance, and any special district fees in newer suburbs.
Dallas County and nearby
Where Veterans buy around Dallas
Dallas is unusual: it has two VA medical centers, one on the south side and one in Garland to the northeast. Many Veterans choose a side of town based on which one they use.
Garland, Mesquite and Rowlett
Near the Garland VA Medical Center
Popular areas: Garland, Mesquite, Rowlett, Sachse, Rockwall
Established neighborhoods and lake access. Rockwall County averages a slightly lower tax rate than Dallas County.
North Dallas and Richardson
Along US-75 and the Bush Turnpike
Popular areas: North Dallas, Richardson, Carrollton, Farmers Branch
Close to jobs and the Plano VA clinic. Prices run higher than the south and east sides.
Central and East Dallas
Inside the loops
Popular areas: Lake Highlands, East Dallas, Lakewood, Oak Lawn
Older homes with character. Plan for the VA appraisal to look hard at foundations, roofs and wiring.
Nearest VA care: Dallas VA Medical Center (South Lancaster Road, south Dallas) · Garland VA Medical Center (Marie Curie Boulevard, Garland), plus VA clinics nearby.
All VA locations near Dallas
Dallas VA Medical Center
South Lancaster Road, south Dallas
Garland VA Medical Center
Marie Curie Boulevard, Garland
Polk Street VA Clinic
South Polk Street, Dallas
Grand Prairie VA Clinic
Sherman Street, Grand Prairie
Locations from VA.gov. Services change, so confirm with the VA before you count on a specific clinic.
Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Dallas: on a $325,000 to $375,000 home in Dallas County at the county’s average 1.58% effective rate, a 100% rating eliminates about $5,100 to $5,900 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: Rockwall about 1.54%; Ellis (Waxahachie, Midlothian) about 1.35%. 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 Dallas
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 which VA medical center you use and where you work, and we’ll connect you with a Dallas agent who knows VA offers. 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 Dallas
Retiring in Dallas
Dallas gives Veterans big-city jobs and health care, two VA medical centers, and no state income tax on retirement pay.
Why Veterans settle in Dallas
- Two VA medical centers: Dallas and Garland, plus clinics across the metro.
- No state income tax: your military retirement and Social Security aren’t taxed by Texas.
- Second careers: defense, aviation, health care and logistics employers hire a lot of Veterans here.
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 Dallas
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 $325,000 to $375,000 Dallas home, 100% can mean about $5,100 to $5,900 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 Dallas. 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 Dallas 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 Dallas home as a rental and keep its VA loan and rate in place.
Local know-how
What trips up Dallas buyers
Hail and roof age
North Texas is hail country, and insurers price that in. Ask how old the roof is, get an insurance quote early, and expect the VA appraisal to check the roof’s remaining life. VA property requirements
Clay soil and foundations
Dallas sits on expansive clay that swells and shrinks with the weather, so foundation movement is common, especially in older homes. A foundation check during your option period is money well spent.
Special districts in newer suburbs
Many newer subdivisions 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.
Competitive offers
In popular Dallas 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 outside Dallas?
Ellis, Kaufman and Rockwall counties have land and new communities for Veterans who want a new home or more room. 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
Dallas VA loan FAQs
Questions from Dallas Veterans
How much do I need down for a VA loan in Dallas?
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 Dallas 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 Dallas?
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 Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Dallas?
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 Dallas?
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.
Which VA medical center is closest to me in Dallas?
South Dallas, Oak Cliff, DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Duncanville are closest to the Dallas VA Medical Center on South Lancaster Road. Garland, Mesquite, Rowlett, Sachse and Rockwall are closest to the Garland VA Medical Center. Both are part of the VA North Texas Health Care System.
Reviews
What Texas Veterans say
4.9 on GoogleExcellent — based on 95 Google reviews
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 .
Questions, or want a call back?
My team will be in touch soon. No cost or obligation.