Key takeaway
A VA loan in Georgia lets eligible service members, veterans and some surviving spouses buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, as long as they have full entitlement and the appraisal supports the price. The main cost is a one-time funding fee of 2.15% on a first-use purchase with less than 5% down, about $8,747 on Acworth's typical $406,860 home. Georgia also offers DCA's Peach Select VA loan, with a 640 minimum score, a $500 minimum investment and a $625,000 price cap around Acworth.
At a glance
| Down payment with full entitlement | None required |
|---|---|
| Funding fee, first use, under 5% down | 2.15% |
| 2026 county limit for partial entitlement (Cobb, Paulding) | $832,750 |
| Peach Select VA minimum score | 640 |
| Peach Select VA price cap (Atlanta area) | $625,000 |
What a VA loan gives you in Georgia
A VA loan is a mortgage from a private lender that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs partly guarantees. The rules are federal, so they are the same in Acworth as anywhere else. The Georgia-specific pieces are the county limit used when part of your entitlement is already in use, Georgia Dream's Peach Select VA program, and the state's own veterans service offices.
The main benefits for a first purchase: no down payment if you have full entitlement and the appraisal supports the price, no monthly mortgage insurance, and a one-time funding fee that can be financed or waived if you receive VA disability compensation.
Who qualifies for a VA home loan
Eligibility starts with service. VA.gov lists these minimums (some exceptions apply):
Active-duty service members
90 continuous days of active service.
Veterans from the Gulf War era to today
24 continuous months, or the full period you were called to active duty, or at least 90 days if a qualifying exception applies. Earlier eras have their own rules on VA's eligibility page.
National Guard members
90 days of non-training active-duty service under Title 10, or 6 creditable years in the Guard.
Selected Reserve members
90 days of non-training active-duty service, or 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve.
Surviving spouses
Some surviving spouses who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) qualify.
Getting your Certificate of Eligibility
The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) proves to the lender that you qualify and shows how much entitlement you have. You can request it online, ask your lender to pull it, or mail VA Form 26-1880. Get it before you start touring homes: if it shows only partial entitlement, the down payment math below changes. If your service records or disability rating need sorting out first, a Georgia Department of Veterans Service field office can help (see the offices table further down).
Credit, income and debt standards for VA loans
Credit score
The VA regulation (38 CFR 36.4340) sets no minimum credit score. Lenders set their own, so ask each one. If you use Georgia Dream's Peach Select VA, the minimum is 640.
Debt-to-income ratio
VA's benchmark is 41% of gross income for total monthly debts including the new payment. Above 41%, the lender must justify the approval, unless your residual income beats VA's guideline by at least 20%.
Residual income
VA also looks at what is left each month after the mortgage, taxes, debts and living costs. Georgia is in VA's South region. The table printed in the regulation for loans of $80,000 or more:
| Family size | Residual income needed per month |
|---|---|
| 1 | $441 |
| 2 | $738 |
| 3 | $889 |
| 4 | $1,003 |
| 5 | $1,039 |
| 6 or 7 | add $80 per additional member |
VA may give lenders updated tables, so ask yours which figures it uses.
Bankruptcy and foreclosure history
A bankruptcy discharged within the past 12 months is generally not acceptable, and 1 to 2 years generally is not unless specific conditions are met. A Chapter 13 plan can be considered after 12 months of satisfactory payments with the trustee's or judge's approval. A past foreclosure, even on a VA or HUD loan, does not by itself disqualify you.
VA funding fee in 2026
The funding fee replaces monthly mortgage insurance. It is a one-time charge set by your down payment and whether you have used a VA loan before. These rates have applied since April 7, 2023 and were current on VA.gov when this page was updated.
| Down payment (purchase or construction) | First use | After first use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.3% |
| 5% or more | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Other loan types: a cash-out refinance is 2.15% on first use and 3.3% after; an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL) is 0.5%.
Who pays no funding fee
You are exempt if you receive VA disability compensation (or are eligible for it but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead), if you are a surviving spouse receiving DIC, if you have a proposed or memorandum disability rating from a pre-discharge claim before closing, or if you are on active duty and show evidence of a Purple Heart by closing.
Financing the fee
On a purchase, the funding fee is the only cost you can roll into the loan. Every other fee is paid at closing, by you, the seller, or an assistance program. The Georgia closing costs guide lists what those usually are.
Entitlement and VA loan limits in Cobb County
Full entitlement: no VA loan limit
If your COE shows full entitlement (basic entitlement of $36,000), VA sets no loan limit. You can borrow as much as a lender approves and the appraisal supports, with no down payment. The lender still has to approve your income and credit.
Partial entitlement: the county limit matters
If you have a VA loan open, or used entitlement that was not restored, VA uses the county's one-unit conforming limit to work out what is left. Basic entitlement covers loans of $144,000 or less; above that, bonus entitlement usually covers 25% of the loan. Remaining entitlement = (county limit x 0.25) minus entitlement already used. If it does not cover 25% of the new loan, the lender may ask for a down payment to make up the gap.
| County | 2026 one-unit limit | 25% of the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cobb | $832,750 | $208,187.50 |
| Paulding | $832,750 | $208,187.50 |
$832,750 is the national baseline conforming limit for 2026 (FHFA). For a home in Cherokee or Bartow County, confirm the county's 2026 figure with your lender.
A worked partial-entitlement example
Say your COE shows $50,000 of entitlement still tied to an earlier loan. In Cobb, $208,187.50 minus $50,000 leaves $158,187.50. Because VA guarantees 25% of the loan, that covers a loan of up to $632,750 ($158,187.50 x 4) before a lender would usually ask for money down. This is an illustration; your lender runs the actual figure from your COE. See VA's loan limits page for the method.
Monthly cost of a VA loan on a typical Acworth home
Using Zillow's typical Acworth value of $406,860 (August 2026) and Freddie Mac's 7.28% 30-year average (week of October 1, 2026), first-time use of the benefit:
| Line | 0% down | 5% down | Fee exempt, 0% down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $0 | $20,343.00 | $0 |
| Base loan | $406,860.00 | $386,517.00 | $406,860.00 |
| Funding fee, financed | $8,747.49 (2.15%) | $5,797.76 (1.5%) | $0 |
| Total loan | $415,607.49 | $392,314.76 | $406,860.00 |
| Principal and interest | $2,843.64 | $2,684.27 | $2,783.79 |
| Monthly mortgage insurance | None | None | None |
The math for the first column: 2.15% of $406,860 is $8,747.49, so the loan is $415,607.49, and 360 payments at 7.28% come to $2,843.64. Property tax, homeowners insurance and any HOA dues are extra; the Cobb County property tax guide covers the tax side. Compared with FHA on the same home, the VA payment has no monthly premium at all (see the FHA loan guide for that comparison).
Georgia Dream Peach Select VA
Peach Select VA is Georgia DCA's own VA loan, available since March 15, 2024: a 30-year fixed VA mortgage at a rate DCA sets, without down payment assistance. Anyone who qualifies for a traditional Georgia Dream VA loan may apply.
Credit score and your own money
Minimum credit score 640 and a minimum borrower investment of $500. Maximum loan-to-value is 100%, and debt ratios follow automated underwriting.
Price and income caps around Acworth
In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area, which includes Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee and Bartow, the sales price can be up to $625,000 and household income up to $137,555 for 1 or 2 people or $158,188 for 3 or more. Acworth's typical $406,860 value sits well under the price cap.
Rate
The launch rate was 5.00%; DCA now sets the rate weekly. Ask a Georgia Dream participating lender for this week's Peach Select rate and compare it with a standard VA quote.
What it cannot be combined with
Peach Select cannot be paired with Georgia Dream's own down payment assistance second mortgage. It may be stacked with another eligible down payment assistance program that is not Georgia Dream, subject to approval. The wider program is explained on the Georgia Dream guide, and DCA's phone line is 800-359-4663.
Free help from Georgia veterans service offices
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) helps veterans and families with benefits and claims, which can matter for a funding fee exemption or a COE problem. The field offices closest to Acworth:
| Office | Address | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Marietta, Chattahoochee VECTR | 980 South Cobb Dr, Marietta 30060 | Cobb |
| Marietta, Cobb Multi-Specialty VA Clinic | 1263 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta 30062 | Cobb |
| Cartersville | 320 W. Cherokee Ave, Room 105, Cartersville 30120 | Bartow and Paulding |
| Canton | 220 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 30114 | Cherokee |
GDVS's main line is (404) 656-2300.
Steps to buy with a VA loan in Acworth
1. Request your COE
Know whether you have full or partial entitlement before you set a budget.
2. Compare a standard VA quote with Peach Select
Ask lenders for their credit floor and rate, and ask a Georgia Dream participating lender for the current Peach Select rate.
3. Offer, appraisal and closing
The appraisal must support the price for the no-down-payment benefit to work. Seller concessions can help with closing costs (see the 4% question below). I can help you structure an offer around VA's appraisal and closing-cost rules.
VA loan questions from Georgia buyers
Do you have to put 20% down on a VA loan?
No. With full entitlement there is no VA loan limit and no down payment requirement, as long as you qualify and the appraisal supports the price. With partial entitlement, a lender may ask for a down payment; in Cobb the 2026 county limit for that calculation is $832,750.
What disqualifies you for a VA loan?
Not meeting the service requirements or discharge standards, debt above 41% of income without strong residual income, residual income below VA's South-region table, a bankruptcy discharged in the last 12 months, or not meeting the lender's credit standards. A past foreclosure does not by itself disqualify you.
How much do I need to make to afford a $500,000 house with a VA loan?
At 0% down with the 2.15% first-use fee financed, the loan is $510,750 and principal and interest at 7.28% is $3,494.61 a month. At VA's 41% guideline, and with no other debts, that alone points to about $102,281 a year ($3,494.61 x 12 / 0.41), before taxes and insurance. You would also need to meet residual income, for example $1,003 a month for a family of four. A $500,000 price is within Peach Select's $625,000 cap.
What is the 4% rule on a VA loan?
This refers to VA's limit on seller concessions. We could not confirm the rule in VA's own lender pamphlet when this page was updated, so ask your lender how VA's seller-concession limit applies to your offer and which costs count toward it.
Common questions
What is the VA funding fee in 2026?+
For a first-time VA purchase loan with less than 5% down, the funding fee is 2.15% of the loan. It drops to 1.5% with 5% or more down and 1.25% with 10% or more. After first use, the under-5% rate is 3.3%. Veterans who receive VA disability compensation, and some others, are exempt. These rates have applied since April 7, 2023.
Is there a VA loan limit in Cobb County?+
Not if you have full entitlement. VA removed loan limits for borrowers with full entitlement, so you can borrow what a lender approves and the appraisal supports. If you have partial entitlement, VA uses the county's one-unit conforming limit, which is $832,750 in Cobb and Paulding for 2026, to work out how much you can borrow without a down payment.
What is Georgia Dream Peach Select VA?+
Peach Select VA is a Georgia DCA program offering a 30-year fixed VA loan at a rate DCA sets weekly, without down payment assistance. It needs a 640 credit score and a $500 minimum investment. Around Acworth, the price cap is $625,000 and household income can be up to $137,555 for 1 or 2 people or $158,188 for 3 or more.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan in Georgia?+
VA itself does not set a minimum credit score; its regulation leaves that to lender underwriting. Most lenders set their own minimum, so ask each one. If you want Georgia Dream's Peach Select VA, the minimum is 640. Your debt-to-income ratio and VA's residual income test matter as much as the score.
How do I get a VA Certificate of Eligibility?+
You can request your Certificate of Eligibility online through VA, have your lender request it for you, or mail VA Form 26-1880. The COE shows whether you have full or partial entitlement, which decides whether a down payment may be needed. Getting it before you start looking at homes helps you set a realistic budget.
Can I use a VA loan more than once?+
A VA loan can be used more than once. If your first VA loan is paid off and entitlement restored, you may have full entitlement again. If it is still open, you have partial entitlement and the county limit decides how much you can borrow without money down. The funding fee for later use is 3.3% with less than 5% down.
Sources
- VA.gov: VA funding fee and loan closing costs
- VA.gov: VA home loan limits
- VA.gov: Eligibility for VA home loan programs
- Cornell LII: 38 CFR 36.4340, Underwriting standards
- FHFA: FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026
- HUD: FHA Mortgage Limits lookup (CY2026, Fannie/Freddie limits)
- Georgia DCA: Peach Select VA Loan Program
- Georgia DCA: Peach Select VA Loan Program FAQs
- Georgia DCA: Georgia Dream Lender FAQs
- Georgia Department of Veterans Service
- Georgia Department of Veterans Service: Veterans Field Service Office Near You
- Zillow Research: Zillow Home Value Index (Acworth, August 2026)
- Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey (week of October 1, 2026)
Lawrence Jackson
I am a Realtor® with Atlanta Communities and part of Team Jackson Sells Atlanta. I specialize in Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta and Woodstock and serve all of Cobb County and metro Atlanta. You work directly with me at every step, from your first question to the closing table.
Realtor®, Atlanta Communities. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
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