About
About this guide and how we check facts
Short answer
Chicago VA Loans is an independent, plain-language guide to VA home loans for veterans, service members and surviving spouses buying in Chicago and Illinois. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and are not a lender.
Editorial standards
- Primary sources first. Every rate, limit and rule comes from VA.gov, the VA Lenders Handbook, the Cook County Assessor, IHDA or another agency, and is linked at the bottom of the page.
- Dated. Every page shows when it was last reviewed. We recheck figures when VA publishes a change and at least every quarter.
- Answer first. Each page opens with a direct answer, then the detail.
- No paid placement. Lenders cannot buy a mention on our guides.
- Corrections. When a figure changes or we find an error, we fix it and update the review date at the top of the page.
Where our figures come from
| Topic | Primary source |
|---|---|
| Eligibility, funding fee, entitlement, loan types | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA.gov, VA Lenders Handbook M26-7) |
| Conforming and FHA loan limits | Federal Housing Finance Agency and HUD |
| Property tax exemptions | Cook County Assessor’s Office and Illinois law |
| Down payment assistance | Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) |
| Legislation and policy changes | Congress.gov, VA announcements, and trade press such as HousingWire |
How we keep pages current
Every page shows a “Last reviewed” date. We recheck figures when VA, FHFA, HUD, the Cook County Assessor or IHDA publish a change, and at least once a quarter. Loan limits are updated each year when FHFA announces them, usually in late November.
Independence
Chicago VA Loans is not a lender or a real estate brokerage, and no lender or agent pays for placement in our guides. We do not collect personal information or sell leads.
New to the terms? Start with our VA loan glossary.
What this guide is not
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Your lender, attorney and VA make the final call on your loan.
What will your VA funding fee be?
Enter a price and down payment to see the 2026 fee, or check whether you are exempt.
An independent guide. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and not a lender. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.