VA loan advantage cuts four years off your veteran clients’ wait
Average VA down payments were 4.3%, versus 19.1% for conforming loans, a disparity examined in MPA’s recent coverage of the VA education gap facing veteran borrowers.
On the September 2026 median home of $419,250, a zero-down VA borrower avoids $41,925 at closing compared with a 10% down conforming-loan buyer, and also benefits from lower rates.
VA loans averaged 5.81% on a 30-year fixed from October 2025 through September 2026, against 6.22% for conforming loans, widening to 6.36% versus 6.91% in September 2026.
A VA borrower with 10% down on the same purchase carries an estimated monthly payment of $2,387. That’s $261 less than a conforming-loan buyer at the same level, or more than $3,100 in annual savings.
At 0% down, the payment rises to approximately $2,668, just $20 above the conforming benchmark, while the borrower retains the full $41,925 that would otherwise fund the down payment.
