CalHFA for military families: $0 down VA plus up to $15,000 from MyHome

Why would a VA-eligible buyer care about CalHFA at all?

Because a VA loan covers the down payment, not closing costs. And closing costs are real money in Southern California. Paired with a VA loan, MyHome provides a second loan of up to $15,000. Payment on it is deferred, meaning it waits. The money usually goes toward closing costs, since VA already needs nothing down. So that cash stays in your savings.

The VA benefit on its own is excellent. Zero down. No monthly mortgage insurance. No income cap. No first-time buyer rule. For many veterans, a straight VA loan already wins. When it does, the honest move is to skip CalHFA. The stack only makes sense when the closing help beats the extra rules.

Lenders call MyHome a "silent second." In plain English, it is a second loan that waits quietly. Nothing is due month to month. A small amount of simple interest builds slowly. It never compounds. You pay the balance back when you sell, refinance, or pay off the home.

How does stacking a VA loan with MyHome actually work?

Both pieces run through one CalHFA-approved lender. CalHFA offers a VA main mortgage through its lender network. MyHome attaches on top as the help layer. For VA pairings, MyHome provides up to 3% of the purchase price. The cap is $15,000. At San Diego prices, that cap is usually the number that matters. One catch: MyHome cannot attach to a VA loan from an outside lender.

One more thing is worth knowing. The VA pairing is the one place MyHome carries a dollar cap. With CalHFA's FHA main mortgage, MyHome runs up to 3.5% of the home price. No cap there. So some military buyers face a bigger choice. VA alone, or CalHFA FHA with the full help. We run both paths side by side rather than guessing.

What do the paths look like side by side?

The table below puts three paths in one place. A VA loan on its own. The VA plus MyHome stack. And the CalHFA FHA plus MyHome route some families pick instead. Two rows usually decide it: the closing help and the extra rules tied to it.

Which column wins depends on your full file. Pricing on each path matters. The VA's one-time funding fee matters too. So does mortgage insurance. So does the cash you want left after closing. There is no winner for everyone. That is why we run the comparison before you pick a route.

Do CalHFA's usual rules still apply to military buyers?

Yes. Your VA benefit does not waive any CalHFA rule. The extra rules attach to the help, not to the VA loan itself. The checklist:

• First-time buyer status. Did you own and occupy a home in the last 3 years? No? Then CalHFA counts you as first-time. Owned one years ago and rented since? You may still fit.
• Income under the county limit. The 2026 limit is $259,000 in San Diego County. It covers CalHFA's Government programs, and VA pairings sit inside them. The test generally counts the income of the borrowers on the loan. Other earners in the house usually do not count. See the 2026 income limits for other counties.
• Owner occupancy. The home must be your primary residence. That means you live there. Turn it into a rental later and you generally must repay the help.
• Homebuyer education. One borrower takes a CalHFA-approved course. It runs a few hours and is available online. The certificate is needed before closing.
• A CalHFA-approved lender. The lender reviews the help right along with your main mortgage. It runs on a normal escrow timeline. There is no separate, slow grant process.

For most military families, these are not hard hurdles. San Diego's limit reflects high local costs. But each rule gets checked during the loan review. So build them into your plan from day one.

Does it matter whether I'm active duty or a veteran?

Not on the CalHFA side. The tests are the same no matter how you earned your VA benefit. First-time status, income, occupancy, education: one list for everyone. We work with active duty, veterans, and military spouses alike. The VA side is a records question. Your Certificate of Eligibility answers it, not anyone's guess.

Active-duty buyers get two real edges. First, BAH counts toward qualifying income on a VA loan. BAH is non-taxable, so lenders can give it extra weight. Many service members qualify for more than they expect. Allowances like BAS may count too. Your LES tells the real story. Second, a PCS timeline is workable. The process can run backward from your report date. And it can be handled from afar while you finish at your last duty station.

Why does this stack matter most in San Diego?

Because San Diego is a huge military town with steep home prices. Naval Base San Diego, MCAS Miramar, and Camp Pendleton are all here. Detached homes run around $1 million. Most first-time military buyers land in condos and townhomes instead. Those run roughly $550,000 to $750,000. At those prices, $15,000 of deferred closing help goes a long way.

Half our San Diego consultations start the same way: "I have VA eligibility. Do I even need CalHFA?" It is the right question. The answer depends on your full file, not a rule of thumb. A quick eligibility check sorts you into one of the columns above. You can do it before you tour a single home. It takes about 60 seconds, with no credit pull. More questions live in the FAQ.

CalHFA for military buyers: FAQ

Program details summarized from calhfa.ca.gov as of July 2026. CalHFA sets and may change all program terms; this article is educational and not a loan commitment, offer, or approval.