The Texas Legislature created the Veterans Land Board in 1983 to administer the Veterans Housing Assistance Program also known as the VHAP, to assist Texas Veterans in buying land, purchasing a home, or making home improvements.
Competitive, low-interest loans with little or no down-payment are available for eligible Texas Veterans, military members, and their spouses. They may receive up to $453,100 on a fixed-rate loan for 15, 20, 25 or 30 year terms. Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or greater qualify for a discounted interest rate.
VETERAN ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for VLB programs, Veterans, military members, and/or their spouses must be:
- At least 18 years of age.
- A bona fide and legal resident of Texas on the date of application and meet one of the following service criteria:
A. An active duty military member
B. A member of the Texas National Guard
C. A reserve component military member having completed 20 qualifying years for retirement
D. A Veteran having served at least 90 active duty days unless discharged sooner due to service connected disability and not discharged dishonorably
E. A surviving spouse of a Veteran listed as missing in action or whose death was service connected
HOME REQUIREMENTS for VETERAN LOANS
Homes must meet very specific requirements to qualify for the Veterans Housing Assistance Program:
- Home must be the veteran’s primary residence in Texas
- Home must be a single family attached or detached home, town home or condominium.
- Duplexes or other multi-family units must have been constructed at least five years prior to the closing date of the loan.
- New homes must have either ENERGY STAR certification or HERS Index score of 75 or less.
- The home must remain as the veteran’s primary residence for at least three years, and the Veteran borrower must occupy the home within 60 days after loan closing.
- The Veteran Land Board does not offer refinancing. If you have an existing loan on your home, the VLB cannot provide refinancing to lower your interest rate, nor can the VLB home loan program be used for a down-payment on a home.
Second or even third VLB home loans may be obtained after the first VLB home loan has been paid. The same applies to the land program. All VLB programs are self-funded. They do not use public taxpayer funding. VLB programs are financed with bonds, which are serviced by loan payments from the Veteran participants themselves.
The Veteran Land Board home loan program provides Veterans with other loans, too. It’s possible for a veteran to have one active loan in each program — land, home, and home improvement — at the same time.
*All VLB interest rates and available discounts are subject to change at any time. VLB Base Rate is subject to adjustment on the first business day of each week. All VLB loans are subject to credit approval.
Contact Betty Saenz
For more information about qualifying and obtaining a loan with the Texas Veteran Land Bureau or the Veterans Administration, please contact Betty Saenz at (512) 785-5050 or click here.