VA Loan Limits in 2026: Do They Apply in Monmouth and Ocean County?

If you have full VA entitlement, VA doesn't set a loan limit at all, so the 2026 county limit of $1,209,750 in Monmouth and Ocean County doesn't cap what VA will guarantee for you. The county limit matters when part of your entitlement is still tied up in another VA loan, and either way your lender still decides how much you can borrow.

I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato with The Dennis Mark Group at Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living and the Market Center Representative for KW Military. "What's the VA loan limit here?" is one of the first questions I hear from buyers using the benefit, and the answer depends on one thing: your entitlement.

Are there VA loan limits in 2026?

Not for everyone. VA's loan limits page (updated August 12, 2025) says that with full entitlement you don't have a loan limit, as long as your lender approves the loan and the appraisal supports the purchase price. VA's Home Loan Guaranty Buyer's Guide says the same and credits the change to the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019: if you're a first-time buyer, or you've sold your previous VA-backed home and paid the loan in full, VA can back a loan regardless of home price.

The guide also notes that before 2020, lenders required a down payment on the part of a loan above the county limit. A lot of the advice still floating around comes from those years, which is one reason I tell buyers that advice out of date can cost them.

Who has full entitlement?

Generally, you have it if you've never used your VA home loan benefit, or if your used entitlement has been restored. VA's eligibility page (updated September 22, 2026) lists three ways to restore it: you sold the home and paid off the loan, a qualified Veteran assumed your loan and substituted their entitlement, or you paid the loan off in full and kept the home, which you can do only once. Read how to restore VA entitlement for the details.

Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) shows where you stand. VA's loan limits page uses the example of a COE showing $36,000 in basic entitlement, which it describes as full entitlement with no loan limit. If you don't have one yet, see how to get your COE.

What is the VA loan limit in Monmouth and Ocean County?

VA uses the conforming loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. FHFA announced the 2026 limits on November 25, 2025: $832,750 for a one-unit home in most of the country, with a ceiling of $1,249,125 in high-cost areas. Its 2026 county list sets the one-unit limit at $1,209,750 for both Monmouth County and Ocean County.

That figure is above the national baseline, which helps buyers here who are working with partial entitlement. VA tells you to use the one-unit limit for its math even if you're buying a two-, three- or four-family home.

When does the county limit matter?

When you still have an active VA loan, or used entitlement that hasn't been restored. The Buyer's Guide says that if you buy another home without selling the previous VA-financed one, you follow the county limit for the VA guaranty, which may mean a down payment on the amount above it.

The calculation, from VA's loan limits page: take 25% of the county's one-unit limit, subtract the entitlement you've already used, and the result is your remaining entitlement. Most lenders lend up to about four times that figure with no down payment. Here, 25% of $1,209,750 is $302,437.50. How remaining entitlement works walks through a full example.

Does no loan limit mean I can borrow any amount?

No. VA's loan limits page is direct about it: your lender still approves the loan based on your credit, income, debts and assets, and some lenders set their own minimum credit score. The most you can borrow is the lower of the appraised value or the purchase price. VA's example: a $450,000 pre-approval, a $400,000 price and a $375,000 appraisal means a $375,000 loan.

You may also see VA's purchase loan page describe the conforming limit as the no-down-payment ceiling in most areas. That reads differently from the loan limits page and the Buyer's Guide, so ask your lender, in writing, how it applies VA's rules and whether it sets its own cap on loan size.

What about the funding fee on a larger loan?

The VA funding fee is a percentage of the loan, so it grows with the loan. VA's funding fee page (updated October 5, 2026) lists 2.15% on a first-use purchase loan with less than 5% down. On a $900,000 loan, that works out to $19,350. Veterans who receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability are among those exempt. See who pays the VA funding fee.

How do you shop the upper end with a VA loan?

Get your COE and a written pre-approval first, then shop to the number the lender gives you, not the number a limit chart suggests. Search homes for sale across both counties, and if you're selling a home to buy, start with what your home is worth. I'll preview homes for you, write the offer with the VA escape clause, and make sure the price is one the appraisal can support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2026 VA loan limit in Monmouth County and Ocean County?

With full entitlement, there isn't one. With partial entitlement, VA uses FHFA's 2026 one-unit limit of $1,209,750 in both counties.

Can I buy a home over $1,209,750 with a VA loan?

With full entitlement, VA sets no limit, and your lender decides what you qualify for. With partial entitlement, expect a down payment on the part your entitlement doesn't cover.

When do 2027 loan limits come out?

FHFA announced the 2026 limits on November 25, 2025. Check its conforming loan limit page for the next announcement.

Does the limit change for a multi-family home?

Not for VA's entitlement math. VA says to use the one-unit limit even for a two-to-four unit property.

This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Your lender and VA confirm your entitlement and loan amount. This site isn't affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.

About the author

Dennis Mark Interdonato is a REALTOR® and Master CDRE® who leads The Dennis Mark Group at Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living in Point Pleasant, NJ, helping buyers and sellers throughout New Jersey make their next move, with Monmouth and Ocean County as home base. Read more about Dennis Mark, or see how I handle military moves.

Keep reading

• The Military Home Guide
• Home buying benefits for military buyers in New Jersey
• Buying a 2-to-4 family home with a VA loan
• Have a question this didn't answer? Send it to Dennis Mark.