Program figures verified July 2026 — details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Mike Certo · Cornerstone First Mortgage · NMLS #260555 ·
Tennessee-licensed VA loan specialist. PCS to Fort Campbell or NSA Mid-South in 60 days? A disabled Veteran claiming Tennessee's property tax relief? VA-specific questions civilian loan officers fumble through? We do this every day. Direct line: (480) 296-6513.
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A VA loan isn't a different mortgage — it's a conventional 30-year fixed (or 15-year, or ARM) mortgage with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteeing 25% of the loan to the lender. That guarantee is what lets lenders offer the VA loan's key features:
The VA also imposes some unique requirements:
Three things changed in 2026 that affect every Tennessee VA buyer:
Tennessee's property tax relief program reimburses the property tax on the first $175,000 of your home's market value for a Veteran rated 100% permanent and total service-connected, on the primary residence, with no income limit. It is relief (a reimbursement), not a full exemption. An unremarried surviving spouse is eligible. Apply through your County Trustee. Full pillar with application instructions →
The 2026 DoD BAH at Fort Campbell (Clarksville) runs differently from NSA Mid-South (Memphis) or Arnold AFB (Tullahoma). The BAH calculator on this site maps your rank and base to a realistic Tennessee purchase price.
Practical implication: compare your base's BAH against local prices before you set a budget; the gap between metros is real.
Normal VA loans follow conventional limits — $832,750 in 2026 across most of Tennessee. The Nashville-metro high-cost counties (led by Williamson County) are elevated to $1,029,250. A Veteran with full entitlement can finance a higher-priced home with $0 down using a VA jumbo; we handle VA jumbo above the county limit for full-entitlement borrowers. Full loan limits guide →
We handle the full VA loan menu across the Tennessee market:
For non-VA borrowers (military spouses without VA eligibility, civilian buyers), we also handle conventional and FHA loans through Cornerstone's full product menu.
Not tied to a base? Retired and choosing Tennessee on its merits — see the retiring-Veteran guide.
Home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); one of the largest Army posts in the country. The post spans the Tennessee-Kentucky line; most family housing and the Clarksville market are on the Tennessee side (Montgomery County).
Buyers look across Clarksville, Oak Grove, and the Nashville-bound I-24 corridor.
The Navy's human-resources and personnel headquarters, just north of Memphis; about 7,500 personnel.
Buyers look at Millington, Bartlett, and the Memphis suburbs.
The Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), the nation's premier flight-simulation and aerospace test facility.
Buyers look at Tullahoma, Manchester, and the Middle Tennessee countryside.
A few things that should be true of working with any loan officer, and aren't always:
Eligibility requires: (a) qualifying military service (active duty 90+ days during wartime, 181+ days during peacetime, or 6+ years National Guard/Reserve); (b) honorable or general-under-honorable discharge; (c) sufficient remaining entitlement. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the official confirmation — Mike can pull it from the VA in 24-48 hours. Full eligibility guide →
Yes. VA entitlement is restorable. If you've paid off a prior VA loan, the entitlement comes back. If you have an active VA loan and want a second simultaneous one (common for active-duty members who relocate but want to keep the original home as a rental), partial entitlement applies — Mike will walk through the math.
No — that's the conventional loan rule, not the VA rule. With VA, $0 down is the standard for borrowers with full entitlement. Some buyers put 5-10% down anyway to lower their monthly payment, reduce their funding fee, or shape the monthly payment differently. Mike will model both scenarios for you.
The VA funding fee is a one-time fee (1.25%-3.30% of loan amount depending on down payment and whether it's your first VA use) that goes to the VA to keep the program self-funding. The funding fee is waived entirely for borrowers with a 10% or higher VA disability rating. That's a $5K-$15K savings on a typical Tennessee purchase.
No. VA loans require the property to be your primary residence (which you must occupy within 60 days of closing). The exception is multi-unit properties (2-4 units) where you live in one unit and rent the others — that's still a primary residence in VA's eyes. For investment properties, conventional or Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans apply.
With full entitlement there is no VA loan limit — county numbers only apply with reduced entitlement. For reference, 2026 conforming limits are $832,750 across most of Tennessee and $1,029,250 in the 14 Nashville-MSA counties (including Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner, and Wilson). Full loan limits guide →
Mostly no, on a typical home — but through reimbursement, not an exemption. Tennessee pays back the property tax on the first $175,000 of market value for a 100% permanent-and-total service-connected Veteran, with no income limit; tax on value above $175,000 is still owed. Apply through your County Trustee. Full relief guide →
No — Tennessee has no state income tax at all, so military retirement, SBP, Social Security, and investment income are all untaxed. There isn't even a return to file. Retiring-Veteran guide →
If you've gotten this far, you've probably figured out whether this is the right site for your situation. The next move is a free 30-minute call. No pressure, no script, no follow-up sales calls.
Bring your orders (if PCSing), your latest LES or pay stub, and any questions about base, neighborhood, rate, or the path forward. I'll walk through actual numbers.
(480) 296-6513 · mcerto@cfmtg.com · NMLS #260555
Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. This site is educational and not a commitment to lend. Loans subject to buyer and property qualification.
Tax, legal, and property assessment information on this site (including disabled-Veteran property tax relief coverage and county application notes) is provided for general information purposes only. Mike Certo is a mortgage loan originator, not a tax professional or attorney. Consult a licensed Tennessee CPA, enrolled agent, or attorney for tax or legal advice specific to your situation. All cited statutes, agency forms, and program rules are linked to original sources for verification.
