VA loans in Columbus.
The Franklin County figure on this page is a county reference only, not an address-based lookup for Columbus. Confirm the property's county, and which local offices serve the address, before relying on it.
Franklin County reference value. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties.
Source: FHFA Full County Loan Limit List for 2026 (HERA-based, final). One-unit limit; applies to mortgages acquired in calendar year 2026. Source checked 2026-09-16. · Franklin County (FIPS 39049)
County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. Look the property's county up at FHFA.
What the county figure means here.
A borrower with full VA entitlement does not have a VA loan limit, subject to lender approval, ability to repay, and the appraised value or purchase price. The FHFA one-unit county conforming loan limit matters primarily when calculating remaining bonus entitlement for a borrower who does not have full entitlement, and it may affect whether a down payment is required.
Franklin County carries a $832,750 one-unit conforming loan limit value for 2026, and that is the county figure we reference for Columbus. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. Whichever county your property is in, the value is used in remaining-entitlement calculations — including on a 2–4 unit property — and is not a cap on what a fully-entitled buyer can finance.
Planning around BAH? Rates vary by pay grade, dependency status, and ZIP-based Military Housing Area — verify yours on the official DoD BAH calculator.
This site does not publish current rates or APRs. Your rate and terms depend on your credit profile, income and assets, the property, market conditions, lock timing, points or lender credits, underwriting, and final lender approval. Request a personalized quote from Bolt Home Loans LLC.
Estimate a payment with your own rate assumptionColumbus residential plan review: what a homeowner's permit drawings must show
The City of Columbus reviews plans for 1, 2 and 3 family homes and says most applications go through its Citizen Access Portal, where users create an account and choose a project type eligible for online submission. Drawings must be uploaded as PDFs following the City's submission standards.
Plans must be neat, legible and drawn with a straight edge, and freehand sketches are not accepted. Each sheet must show the project address and the floor being worked. Practical step: if you plan to remodel after buying a Columbus home, budget for proper drawings and check the portal's project list first. After logging in, a Purchase Permit or Inspection Trip link appears under the building section, and uploaded files must follow the City's naming standards.
Franklin County homestead: current income limits and January 1 occupancy
The Franklin County Auditor's homestead FAQ says senior and disabled applicants must own and occupy the home as their primary residence on January 1 and meet an income cap. For the 2026 application period, that cap is $41,000 of 2025 total income, defined as Ohio modified adjusted gross income. The figure is adjusted each year for inflation.
Certain surviving spouses of recipients can also qualify. Practical step: for Columbus addresses in Franklin County, apply in your own name with the Auditor, and check the current figures before filing. Columbus extends into other counties, so confirm the property's county first. The FAQ adds that late applications for the 2025 period use a $40,000 cap on 2024 income.
- FHFA — Conforming loan limit values
- City of Columbus — 1, 2 and 3 Family Residential Plans
- Franklin County Auditor — Homestead FAQ
- VA — Home loan entitlement and limits
Sources checked 2026-09-24. Educational information only, not legal, tax or underwriting advice.
Owner-occupied 2–4 units are eligible.
VA allows purchases up to four units as long as you occupy one of them. Whether any projected rental income counts toward your qualifying ratios is a lender and VA underwriting decision, not an automatic allowance. The one-unit county value above is still the figure used in entitlement calculations on a 2–4 unit property.
Run the house-hack calculatorVA loan programs available in OH.
$0 down in Columbus. No PMI.
Lower your rate. Minimal paperwork.
Up to 100% LTV — conventional caps at 80%.
$0 down above conforming.
Finance repairs into your purchase.
Roll energy upgrades into the loan.
Widows and widowers of OH veterans qualify.
Zero down, no PMI, and a 100% funding-fee waiver on a home in Columbus, subject to eligibility verification and Certificate of Eligibility issuance.
Surviving spouse guideDisabled veteran? Stack the SAH grant on your Columbus purchase.
Up to $126,526 in FY 2026 toward a VA-approved plan to acquire, construct, or adapt a suitable home. VA approves eligibility and use; the grant is separate from your VA home loan.
SAH grant guideVA loans in Columbus — answered.
FHFA sets conforming loan limit values by county, not by city, and there is no single published figure for a city as such. The county we reference for Columbus is Franklin County (FIPS 39049), whose official 2026 one-unit value is $832,750 per the FHFA Full County Loan Limit List. County reference, not an address-based lookup. Confirm the county of the property before using this value; city and metro boundaries can cross counties. The figure only matters for remaining-entitlement calculations — with full entitlement there is no VA loan limit, subject to lender approval, ability to repay and appraised value.
BAH varies by pay grade, dependency status, and ZIP-based Military Housing Area, and DoD updates rates annually. Check your exact rate on the official DoD BAH calculator. Lenders may count BAH as qualifying income, subject to underwriting.
A VA-eligible borrower with full entitlement may be able to pursue a primary-residence purchase in Columbus with no down payment and no monthly PMI. Eligibility, credit, income, the VA appraisal, and final lender approval all apply, and closing costs and prepaids are still due.
An unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability may qualify for the full VA benefit in Columbus — zero down, no PMI, and a 100% funding-fee waiver, subject to eligibility verification.