Georgia VA Loans. Done right, the first time.

Mike Certo · Cornerstone First Mortgage · NMLS #260555 · Updated May 23, 2026

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Georgia-licensed VA loan specialist. PCS to Fort Moore or Fort Stewart in 60 days? Disabled Veteran trying to claim the GA property tax exemption? VA-specific questions that civilian loan officers fumble through? We've done it. Direct line: (480) 296-6513.

Get pre-approved → Talk to Mike first →

Why this site exists

Most VA mortgage sites are national templates with thin Georgia pages. The big national lenders dominate "VA loan" search results, but their state-level content is mostly the same paragraphs with the state name swapped. Their base pages, when they exist, were written by someone who has never set foot on Fort Moore or Fort Stewart. This site is the other thing — written by a Georgia-licensed loan officer for Georgia veterans.

A few decisions worth flagging:

• Every base gets its own deep page. Not a paragraph. Not a templated stub. 4,500-8,000 words per base covering BAH by rank, neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown, school districts, commute by gate, on-base housing waitlist reality, base-specific MPR pitfalls, and a 45-day PCS timeline. Start with Fort Moore — it's the largest section and serves as the model.

• Georgia's disabled-Veteran homestead exemption (O.C.G.A. §48-5-48) gets the depth it deserves. A 100% service-connected disabled Veteran can exempt $126,526 of the home's value (the federal maximum) from state and county ad valorem property tax in 2026 — effectively eliminating the bill on most homes. For many 100% rated Veterans in the Columbus or Hinesville metro that is $1,500–$5,000 per year in retained cash flow. Apply through your county tax commissioner's office. National lenders rarely surface it. Read the full pillar →

• The BAH calculator actually accounts for GA summer utility reality. $200–$350 a month for an Atlanta-area home in summer. National calculators ignore this and quote you a house you can't afford. Run your numbers →

Pick your base

What's new in 2026

Three things changed in 2026 that affect every Georgia VA buyer:

1. GA Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption (O.C.G.A. §48-5-48)

Georgia exempts $126,526 of value (the federal maximum under 38 U.S.C. 2102) for a 100% service-connected disabled Veteran's homestead — enough to eliminate property tax on most homes. The benefit extends to an unremarried surviving spouse or minor children. For a typical home in the Columbus or Hinesville metro that is roughly $1,500–$4,000 per year depending on county millage. Apply through your county tax commissioner's office with your VA disability award letter. Full pillar with county-by-county application instructions →

2. 2026 BAH adjustments hit differently by base

DoD's annual BAH survey adjusts each Military Housing Area independently based on local rental market data. Fort Moore (Columbus MHA), Fort Stewart (Hinesville MHA), Robins (Warner Robins MHA), and Moody (Valdosta MHA) each saw different adjustments in 2026. Run your specific base through the BAH calculator before building a budget — the MHA difference between bases in Georgia is significant.

3. 2026 VA conforming loan limit raised to $832,750 statewide

Normal VA loans follow conventional limits — $832,750 in 2026 across all 159 Georgia counties. But here's what most lenders don't say: a veteran with full entitlement can finance any priced home with $0 down using a VA jumbo. Other lenders cap VA jumbos at $1M or $2M. We don't. We finance VA jumbo loans over $5M for full-entitlement veterans with no money down. Full loan limits guide →

What I do

Mike handles the full VA loan menu across the Georgia market:

• Purchase loans — Active-duty, retired, surviving spouse. $0 down standard, funding fee waived for 10%+ disability ratings.
• VA jumbo — Loans above $832,750 for full-entitlement borrowers. Common in Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Buckhead, and Alpharetta.
• IRRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Refinance) — VA streamline refi. No income docs, no appraisal, no funding fee for disability waiver Veterans. Useful when rates drop or to remove PMI from a non-VA loan.
• Cash-out refi — Tap equity for debt consolidation, home improvement, or to free up cash. Common after several years of strong GA appreciation.
• Disability rating refunds — If your VA disability rating came through after closing, you may be entitled to a refund of the funding fee. I handle the paperwork.
• Surviving spouse loans — Full VA benefits available to qualifying surviving spouses. Often misunderstood by national lenders.

For non-VA borrowers (military spouses without VA eligibility, civilian buyers), I also handle conventional and FHA loans through Cornerstone's full product menu.

What makes a VA loan different

A VA loan isn't a different mortgage — it's a conventional 30-year fixed (or 15-year, or ARM) mortgage with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteeing 25% of the loan to the lender. That guarantee is what lets lenders offer the VA loan's key features:

• $0 down payment For borrowers with full entitlement
• No PMI (private mortgage insurance) — the VA guarantee replaces it
• Competitive interest rates Relative to conventional 30-year financing
• Lenient credit standards — most lenders accept 580+ FICO; some go lower
• No prepayment penalty
• Assumable — a qualified buyer can take over your VA loan at the original rate (huge value when rates rise)
• VA funding fee — a one-time fee (1.25% to 3.30% of loan amount, depending on down payment and use) that goes to the VA. Waived entirely for 10%+ disability rated Veterans.

The VA also imposes some unique requirements:

• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) — proof of VA loan eligibility. Mike pulls this for you in 24-48 hours.
• Minimum Property Requirements (MPR) — VA appraisers will flag properties with health/safety issues. GA-specific MPR pitfalls include properties with aging knob-and-tube wiring, rural well and septic systems, flood zone properties, and deteriorating crawl-space foundations common in older construction. See base pages for details.
• Residual income guideline — the VA's secondary qualification check beyond DTI. Confirms you have enough left over after monthly obligations to cover family basics. For most GA families this is easy; for stretch borrowers it can be the back-stop check.

Full eligibility breakdown →

Tools

• BAH Calculator — Pick your base, pick your rank, see what BAH actually covers (including GA summer cooling reality).
• VA Loan Limits 2026 — County-by-county limits plus VA jumbo guidance.
• Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption (O.C.G.A. §48-5-48) — Full pillar including county application instructions.
• Eligibility Guide — COE process, surviving spouse rules, reservist eligibility, entitlement restoration.

The Mike approach

A few things that should be true of working with any loan officer, and aren't always:

• Direct line, real human. When you call (480) 296-6513 during business hours, Mike answers. Off-hours, voicemail goes straight to his cell. No call center, no rotating representatives.
• No pressure, no script, no monthly check-in calls. I don't sell you anything you didn't ask about. I don't sell your contact information. When the loan closes, I'm here if you need a refi or a rate drop — not before.
• Documented. Every decision in your file gets a paper trail. If something gets weird at underwriting, you'll know exactly why and what we're doing about it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if I'm eligible for a VA loan?

Eligibility requires: (a) qualifying military service (active duty 90+ days during wartime, 181+ days during peacetime, or 6+ years National Guard/Reserve); (b) honorable or general-under-honorable discharge; (c) sufficient remaining entitlement. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the official confirmation — Mike can pull it from the VA in 24-48 hours. Full eligibility guide →

Can I use a VA loan more than once?

Yes. VA entitlement is restorable. If you've paid off a prior VA loan, the entitlement comes back. If you have an active VA loan and want a second simultaneous one (common for active-duty members who relocate but want to keep the original home as a rental), partial entitlement applies — Mike will walk through the math.

Do I need a 20% down payment?

No — that's the conventional loan rule, not the VA rule. With VA, $0 down is the standard for borrowers with full entitlement. Some buyers put 5-10% down anyway to lower their monthly payment, reduce their funding fee, or shape the monthly payment differently. Mike will model both scenarios for you.

What's a VA funding fee and is it waived for me?

The VA funding fee is a one-time fee (1.25%-3.30% of loan amount depending on down payment and whether it's your first VA use) that goes to the VA to keep the program self-funding. The funding fee is waived entirely for borrowers with a 10% or higher VA disability rating. That's a $5K-$15K savings on a typical Georgia purchase.

Can I use a VA loan to buy a second home or investment property?

No. VA loans require the property to be your primary residence (which you must occupy within 60 days of closing). The exception is multi-unit properties (2-4 units) where you live in one unit and rent the others — that's still a primary residence in VA's eyes. For investment properties, conventional or Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans apply.

Talk to Mike

If you've gotten this far, you've probably figured out whether this is the right site for your situation. The next move is a free 30-minute call. No pressure, no script, no follow-up sales calls.

Bring your orders (if PCSing), your latest LES or pay stub, and any questions about base, neighborhood, rate, or the path forward. I'll walk through actual numbers.

(480) 296-6513 · mcerto@cfmtg.com · NMLS #260555

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Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. This site is educational and not a commitment to lend. Loans subject to buyer and property qualification. GA Mortgage Brokers License #0910407 retired 2026-05-11; current GA activity under Cornerstone's national license.

Tax, legal, and property assessment information on this site (including O.C.G.A. §48-5-48 coverage and county-by-county application notes) is provided for general information purposes only. Mike Certo is a mortgage loan originator, not a tax professional or attorney. Consult a licensed Georgia CPA, enrolled agent, or attorney for tax or legal advice specific to your situation. All cited statutes, agency forms, and program rules are linked to original sources for verification.