Your Guide to Using a VA Loan for Investment Property

Christian Worstell
In this article...
  • Can you use a VA loan for investment property? Find out everything you need to know about possibly purchasing a home for rental purposes with a VA mortgage.

In most cases, you can't use a VA loan for investment property. This zero-down mortgage program is designed for military members, veterans and eligible spouses to purchase a primary residence, which means you live there most of the time. In some cases, however, you may be able to earn money from part of the property you buy with a mortgage from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

How Can You Use a VA Loan for Investment Property?

You can purchase a multifamily home with up to four units through the VA mortgage program. You must live in one of the units of the property full-time, but you can earn income by renting out the other units. You can also rent out a home you purchased with a VA loan after using the property as your primary residence for at least 12 months. 

Can I Buy a Multifamily Home With a VA Loan?

You can purchase a home with multiple units through the VA mortgage program as long as you meet the income requirements for the property. You're limited to four units unless you purchase the property along with another veteran, in which case the limit is seven units. 

What Is the Maximum Amount for a VA Loan?

If you plan to buy a single-family home, you must stay under the limit for your county (typically $647,200). Higher limits apply to properties designed to house multiple families. In most parts of the country, the VA allows you to borrow up to about $1.2 million for a four-unit property, although you may need a down payment depending on the total amount of your VA entitlement for the loan. The VA updates these limits each year.

Christian Worstell
About the Author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdivsor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

While at HelpAdvisor, Christian has written hundreds of articles that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. You can find Christian’s most recent articles in our blog.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@MyHelpAdvisor.com.

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