VA Home Loan Affordability Act
In April 2026, members of the House of Representatives introduced the VA Home Loan Affordability Act (H.R. 8532). This legislation targets rules that make veteran home-buying offers less attractive to sellers than conventional real estate purchases.
The proposal requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to adopt new VA loan standards discussed below within 90 days of passage, focusing on the speed of the home purchase process and the total cost of loan closing.
>> Stay up-to-date on all the latest military and veteran benefits info for you and your family. Sign up today for the free MyMilitaryBenefits Update newsletter!
VA Home Loan Affordability Act
One goal of this legislation is to align military housing benefits with those offered to home hunters through the Federal Housing Administration, with one major proposed change involving the certification of home appraisers.
The Department of Veterans Affairs currently requires VA loan appraisers to have three to five years of experience before they can participate in the program. H.R. 8532 removes this barrier by allowing any state-licensed appraiser to work with veterans. Most states require twelve to eighteen months of experience for a license.
This is expected to increase the number of available appraisers and reduce wait times for property valuations. Veterans will no longer have to wait weeks for an appraisal that civilian buyers receive in days.
>> Stay up-to-date on all the latest military and veteran benefits info for you and your family. Sign up today for the free MyMilitaryBenefits Update newsletter!
VA Minimum Property Requirements
Under the proposed new rules, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to review and revise its minimum property requirements within ninety days.
It’s a move intended to bring the VA loan program into line with the standards used by the Federal Housing Administration, with the goal of removing “unnecessary” repairs that often derail a home sale. While safety remains the priority, the bill ends the rigid rules that disqualify solid homes for minor cosmetic issues.
>> Stay up-to-date on all the latest military and veteran benefits info for you and your family. Sign up today for the free MyMilitaryBenefits Update newsletter!
VA Loan Closing Costs
VA mortgage closing costs and seller fees may be capped at levels similar to those under FHA standards. The bill also removes the requirement for people to provide third-party documentation of fees already paid to a lender, reducing the paperwork required at closing.
The Department of Defense will coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs to automate the verification of military service that qualifies a borrower for a VA mortgage.
VA COE and Debt Ratio Rules
One common delay in the mortgage process is the issuance of the Certificate of Eligibility. This document proves that a person has earned their housing benefit. Under the 2026 act, the two departments must create a real-time data interface that allows lenders to verify service history instantly using Department of Defense records.
Debt-to-income rules will be reviewed every two years under the new law. The country’s economic conditions change rapidly, but mortgage rules often remain the same for decades. The biennial review ensures that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses current data to assess a borrower’s ability to pay.
This bill is not yet signed into law; this is a developing story.
>> Stay up-to-date on all the latest military and veteran benefits info for you and your family. Sign up today for the free MyMilitaryBenefits Update newsletter!
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
