Mortgage guidance / Ed Parcaut
Your service earned a benefit worth understanding properly before you use it.
Loan options
Three ways veterans in California use the VA benefit. Each links to a full explanation.
Ed Parcaut is a U.S. Navy veteran and has spent nearly 30 years in the mortgage industry. The questions California veterans actually ask are about loan size, entitlement and whether a seller will take the offer, so those are answered first here.
Nothing here is an approval or a rate quote. It is the groundwork so the conversation with a lender starts from the right place.
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A written walkthrough of the benefit, step by step.
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Read articleA VA loan is a mortgage from a private lender that is partly guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In California, an eligible veteran with full entitlement has no VA-set cap on the loan amount, and many buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. Where entitlement is partial, the county conforming loan limit becomes the reference point. Larger amounts are handled as VA jumbo financing through individual lenders.
If you have your full entitlement, the VA does not set a maximum. The limit you can borrow is the one your lender sets based on your income, credit and the property. The often quoted "VA loan limit" is really the county conforming loan limit, and it only caps how much of the loan the VA will guarantee when your entitlement is partial.
For 2026 the baseline conforming loan limit is $832,750, which is the figure in most California counties including Stanislaus. The high cost counties, among them Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo and Alameda, run up to the $1,249,125 ceiling. The Federal Housing Finance Agency publishes the county by county table, linked below.
Above those amounts you are into VA jumbo territory. That is not a separate government program. It is the same VA guarantee combined with a lender that is willing to go higher, and some go well past $2.5 million. Terms, credit requirements and any down payment on the portion above the guaranteed amount are set by that lender, not by the VA.
Entitlement is the portion of the loan the VA guarantees to the lender. Most first time users have full entitlement. If you already hold a VA loan, or one ended in a short sale or foreclosure, part of your entitlement is still tied up and the county limit comes back into play.
The benefit is not one use only. Entitlement is generally restored when the loan is paid off, commonly when you sell. Remaining entitlement can also support a second VA loan at the same time, which matters for service members relocating within California or arriving on new orders.
Request your Certificate of Eligibility before you shop. A lender can usually pull it in minutes, and it tells you what you are actually working with.
Eligibility generally rests on length and character of service. Veterans, active-duty service members, many National Guard and Reserve members, and some surviving spouses can qualify. Service requirements differ by era and by component, which is why the Certificate of Eligibility exists rather than a single rule of thumb.
California also has its own CalVet home loan program, run by the state rather than the VA. It is a separate route with separate rules, and it is worth knowing it exists before you assume the federal VA loan is the only option.
The funding fee is a one-time charge that helps keep the program running without taxpayer subsidy. It is expressed as a percentage of the loan amount and varies with your down payment and whether this is a first or subsequent use.
It can usually be financed into the loan rather than paid in cash. Veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability are commonly exempt, as are some surviving spouses. The VA publishes the current fee table, linked in the sources below.
Yes, when the offer is presented properly. Hesitation usually traces back to outdated ideas about the appraisal timeline and the Minimum Property Requirements, both of which are manageable when the listing agent understands them.
In competitive California markets the difference is preparation. A strong pre-approval, a realistic timeline and an agent who can explain the process do more for a VA offer than anything else.
Request your Certificate of Eligibility, pull your own credit so nothing surprises you, and get a clear picture of your monthly budget rather than the maximum a calculator shows. Then have a conversation before you tour houses, not after you have fallen for one.
I served as a Navy Hospital Corpsman, and I have watched too many veterans leave this benefit on the table because someone told them it was slow or capped at a number. Full entitlement has no VA cap, and I have seen California veterans buy well above the conforming figure using VA jumbo financing.
The mistake I see most often is shopping for a house before checking entitlement. Find out what you have first. It costs nothing and it changes the whole conversation.
Common questions
This is education, not a loan approval or a rate quote. Your own options depend on your situation.
Reviews on Google
Working with Ed Parcaut on our vacation home purchase was an outstanding experience from start to finish. Ed's expertise and deep knowledge of the lending process made everything feel seamless. He took the time to explain every step clearly, answered all of our questions with patience, and helped us navigate the unique aspects of financing a second home with confidence. What truly stood out was Ed's responsiveness and efficiency. No matter the time or situation, we always received quick updates and fast answers, which made the entire process move smoothly and on schedule. His professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to excellent service exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend Ed to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, reliable, and highly responsive lender — for any home purchase.
Ed made the process so easy and simple for my wife and I. When we had questions, he had answers. He communicated with us constantly and clearly. I absolutely recommend his services. Owning our forever home post-military retirement and finally settling down and raising our family has been our goal for a long time and Ed helped make that a reality for us. Thanks again Ed!
I am thoroughly blessed, thankful and satisfied with the process. And all the time that it took the different steps it took to get this process done. Thank you, well done.
Ed is a true professional and I would recommend him to friends and family without hesitation. He kept us informed every step of the way all the way to closing! He's also just a really nice human being. No need to look anywhere else for your home loan needs cause Ed knows his stuff.
From beginning, middle, and end of this home lending experience my work with Ed, and Amy has been wonderful. They have been very supportive, and generous with their kindness, and they have excellent professionalism with regard to working well with all parties involved. Their knowledge, experience, and time has been much appreciated. Thank you so much, and I look forward to the next time we meet!
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