VA Loans in Colorado Springs: What Military Buyers Should Know in 2026
VA loans let eligible military buyers get into a Colorado Springs home with zero down and no PMI. Here is how the benefit works, who skips the funding fee, and what the current market means for you.
The Pikes Peak region is home to Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and the Air Force Academy, along with more than 100,000 defense-related jobs. If you are active duty, a veteran, or a surviving spouse, the VA loan may be the most powerful tool you have to buy a home here.
This guide walks through how the benefit works, who pays nothing on the funding fee, and what the current El Paso County market means for military buyers.
What Makes a VA Loan Different
With a VA loan you can buy with zero down payment, there is no private mortgage insurance, or PMI, to pay, and buyers with full entitlement face no loan limit at all. That means the benefit can cover a home well above El Paso County's median price with nothing down.
For buyers using partial entitlement, the 2026 VA loan limit for El Paso County is $832,750 for a single-family home, up from $806,500 in 2025. Above that amount, you would put money down only on the portion that exceeds it.
The Funding Fee, and Who Skips It
The main cost of a VA loan is the funding fee, and it can be financed into the loan instead of paid out of pocket. On a first-time purchase with less than 5% down, it runs 2.15% of the loan. Put down 5% to 9.99% and it drops to 1.50%. Ten percent or more brings it to 1.25%. Using the benefit again changes the numbers slightly, but keeps them modest.
A large share of local buyers pay no funding fee at all. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation at any rating, surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, and active-duty Purple Heart recipients are exempt entirely.
What This Market Means for You
El Paso County crossed into buyer-friendly territory this fall, with roughly four months of inventory and a meaningful share of listings carrying price cuts. More choices plus a zero-down benefit is a strong combination, and it makes getting pre-approved early even more valuable.
Fort Carson families often look south and east toward Fountain, Widefield, Lorson Ranch, and Stetson Hills, where homes tend to sit in more approachable price bands. Peterson and Schriever families spread across the east side of the city. Whichever direction your orders point, the timeline usually matters more than the price, so it helps to line up a VA-approved lender early.
Why this matters: The VA loan is a benefit you have earned, and you deserve to use it well. In a calmer market, a zero-down loan with no PMI can put you in a home a conventional path would leave just out of reach, and it can make your offer competitive with cash buyers on the homes you really want.
Your First Step
Talk to a VA-approved lender before you start touring, then line up your Certificate of Eligibility. Whether you are PCSing in, buying after the service, or helping a family member settle here, we have guided military families through this for more than two decades, and we will take it at your pace.
Text us at 719-499-9394 or Book a free consultation.
Jeff & Lane Morrell | eXp Realty
VA loan facts researched and current as of October 15, 2026, from VA sources and lender references, including the 2026 conforming loan limits for El Paso County and the 2026 VA funding fee schedule. Eligibility and figures vary by individual circumstances; confirm with VA.gov or a VA-approved lender before closing. Market context draws on public El Paso County data from fall 2026.