VA data sources and how we keep figures current
Each VA figure we publish is listed with the government document it came from, when that document was published and when we last checked it — so you can verify anything you read here.
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Where does the data on this site come from?
Every figure on this site traces to a published source: VA.gov and the VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 for program rules, 38 CFR Part 36 for regulation, FHFA for conforming limits, Freddie Mac and the Federal Reserve for market-rate context, and the Census ACS for demographics.
- VA.gov and VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 for program rules
- FHFA conforming loan limit schedule, refreshed monthly
- Freddie Mac PMMS and Treasury series via FRED for market context
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS for veteran and housing data
- Each page shows a last-verified date separate from its update date
Every VA figure traces to a government or GSE source you can check yourself, with the verification date shown on the page.
Reviewed by the licensed mortgage team at Simply Approved Mortgages · Last verified August 25, 2026 against the VA Lenders Handbook (M26-7)
Read our editorial standardsWhere does the VA data on this site come from and how current is it?
The VA figures on this site are drawn from published HUD, FHFA and other government documents, and each one is listed here with its source, publication date, applicable program year and the date we last checked it. Official agency publications always control, and we encourage you to confirm any figure with the linked source or with a licensed loan officer before you rely on it.
- • We cite government publications: VA.gov, the VA Lenders Handbook (M26-7), 38 CFR Part 36, and FHFA.
- • Each page shows three separate dates: Updated, Reviewed and Data checked.
- • We aim to review pages about every 30 days and to re-check each source around when the agency publishes it.
- • Program and rule changes are read by a person before we change any wording.
- • We do not publish interest rates as fixed figures anywhere on this site.
What this means for you: you can click through to the agency document behind any figure and confirm it yourself. Official HUD, VA and FHFA publications control, and this page is general information — not legal, tax or lending advice, and not a commitment to lend.
Verified against VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Change 6 — August 12, 2026
Reviewed by the Simply Approved Mortgages underwriting desk — Licensed mortgage originators (NMLS) — Colorado & Florida. Program-rule content on this site is checked against this handbook version.
The VA figures we publish and where each one comes from
Each value below is published from one shared list, with its source document, so the same number appears consistently across the site.
| Value | Current | Previous | Source | Published / effective | Verified | Refresh | Pages affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA reduced-entitlement county floor — 1-unit | $832,750 | $524,225 | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HTML source | December 11, 2025 / January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check February 5, 2027 | annual human verification | /, /loan-limits, /county-lookup, /states, /states/*, /calculator, /affordability-calculator, /funding-fee-calculator, /loans/*, /requirements, /va-vs-conventional |
| VA reduced-entitlement high-cost ceiling — 1-unit | $1,249,125 | $1,209,750 | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HTML source | December 11, 2025 / January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check February 5, 2027 | annual human verification | /, /loan-limits, /county-lookup, /states, /states/*, /loans/* |
| VA special exception ceiling (AK, HI, GU, VI) — 1-unit | $1,249,125 | — | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HTML source | December 11, 2025 / January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check February 5, 2027 | annual human verification | /loan-limits, /states/alaska, /states/hawaii, /states/* |
| Conforming loan limit baseline — 1-unit | $832,750 | $806,500 | Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) HTML source | November 25, 2025 / January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check February 5, 2027 | annual human verification | /loan-limits, /va-vs-conventional, /loans/* |
| VA county-by-county reduced-entitlement limit table | 2026 FHFA conforming county limits (adopted by VA) | — | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs / FHFA HTML source | December 11, 2025 / January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check January 8, 2026 | weekly automated feed | /county-lookup, /states, /states/*, /loan-limits |
| Official VA loan limits page | https://www.fhfa.gov/data/conforming-loan-limit | — | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HTML source | December 11, 2025 · 2026 program year | January 1, 2026 next check February 1, 2026 | as-published monitored source | /county-lookup, /states/* |
| VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 | VA Lenders Handbook M26-7 — Change 6 | Change 5 | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HTML source | August 12, 2026 / August 12, 2026 | August 12, 2026 next check September 12, 2026 | as-published monitored source · human review required | /requirements, /underwriting-checklist, /credit-score-requirements, /veteran-benefits, /first-time-home-buyer, /loans/*, /guides/*, /faq |
| Typical lender credit-score overlay (VA sets no minimum) | 580–620 | — | VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Ch. 4 (Credit Underwriting) HTML source | August 12, 2026 | August 12, 2026 next check September 12, 2026 | as-published monitored source · human review required | /, /requirements, /credit-score-requirements, /first-time-home-buyer, /veteran-benefits, /loans/* |
| VA residual income guideline tables | By region, family size and loan amount | — | VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Ch. 4 (Credit Underwriting) HTML source | August 12, 2026 | August 12, 2026 next check September 12, 2026 | as-published monitored source · human review required | /requirements, /credit-score-requirements, /loans/* |
| Live VA rate quotes | Delivered by the pricing engine at quote time | — | Simply Approved Mortgages pricing engine HTML source | January 1, 2026 | January 1, 2026 next check February 1, 2026 | as-published monitored source · human review required | /rates |
| 30-year fixed-rate mortgage national survey average (index, not an offer) | live feed | — | Freddie Mac PMMS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) API source | August 27, 2026 · 2026 program year | August 28, 2026 next check September 4, 2026 | weekly automated feed | /rates |
| County veteran population, median home value and median household income | live feed | — | U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-Year Estimates) API source | December 11, 2025 · 2024 program year | August 28, 2026 next check October 2, 2027 | annual automated feed | /states, /states/* |
| Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) guidance by installation | Official DOD BAH calculator; no single base rate asserted | — | U.S. Department of Defense HTML source | January 1, 2026 · 2026 program year | August 28, 2026 next check October 2, 2027 | annual human verification | /bases, /bases/* |
HUD does not publish a public API for Mortgagee Letters or the Handbook, so those entries are checked by hand against the published document; county limits come from HUD's CHUMS forward-limits file. Where a source is monitored rather than automated, the table says so. Dates shown reflect when we last checked a source, not a guarantee that the agency has not since revised it.
How we keep VA figures accurate
We show the date, not a guess
If we cannot confirm a newer figure, the page keeps the last value we checked along with the date we checked it, rather than showing an estimate in its place.
A person reads rule changes
Straightforward number updates can be applied once validated. Changes to program rules or agency guidance are read and interpreted by a person before any wording changes.
We follow up on gaps
When a source cannot be confirmed, we re-check it and follow up manually, and the affected pages continue to show their last checked values and dates.
One change, every page
Our shared list records which pages, tables, calculators and FAQs use each figure, so a confirmed change can be carried through the site together.
Common questions about the VA figures on this site
- Where do the VA loan limits on this site come from?
- The 2026 VA floor, ceiling and special-exception limits come from HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, published December 11, 2025 and effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026. County-level limits come from HUD's CHUMS forward-limits file. Both are listed in the registry table on this page with their source links.
- How often is the VA information on this site checked?
- We aim to review pages on roughly a 30-day cycle and to check each source about as often as the agency publishes it — annually for the loan-limit letters, periodically for the county limit file, and after HUD publishes handbook or program updates. Agencies can change guidance at any time, so the linked official document is the authority.
- What is the difference between Updated, Reviewed and Data refreshed?
- Updated is the date the page's content meaningfully changed. Reviewed is the date someone on our team last checked the page, which can happen with no content change at all. Data checked is the date the underlying government figures were last compared with their source. We keep these dates separate so they stay accurate.
- What if a figure on this page looks out of date?
- When we cannot confirm a fresh value, we keep the last figure we checked and show the date we checked it rather than substituting an estimate. If you spot something that no longer matches the official source, tell us and we will look at it — and in the meantime, rely on the linked agency document.
- Does Simply Approved Mortgages have a relationship with HUD or VA?
- No. Simply Approved Mortgages is a licensed mortgage originator (NMLS #2620881). We cite HUD, VA, FHFA and other government publications as sources. We are not a government agency and nothing on this site implies government endorsement, approval, or affiliation.
This page describes how we source and check the VA information we publish. It is provided for general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice, an offer of credit, or a commitment to lend. VA program rules, loan limits and agency guidance can change, and the official HUD, VA, FHFA or other agency publication always controls. Loan approval, terms and eligibility depend on a complete application, verified documentation and applicable program and investor requirements. Simply Approved Mortgages, NMLS #2620881, is not a government agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, VA, or any other government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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