Are VA Rates Going Up or Down?

Maybe you’re a first-time homebuyer and you’ve been patiently waiting to enter the market. Maybe you bought your house a few years ago and you’re hoping rates will come down so you can refinance. Maybe you’ve lived in your house for years, but you’re ready to upgrade, downsize, or relocate. In short, there are a lot of situations in which you might need a new VA loan.

As with so many things in life, VA loans are about timing. That probably has you wondering: are VA rates going up or down?

The short-term answer is up. But if you zoom out, it gets more complicated — and less concerning. If you’ve been wondering if now is the time to buy or refinance with a VA loan, it helps to look at the bigger picture and evaluate all of the factors that might affect you. 

The current state of VA rates

In early September 2026, VA rates — along with most other home loan rates — were on the rise, but only gradually. On September 3, we had an average 30-year fixed VA loan rate of 6.21% across our lenders. That was an increase from the week prior, but by a tiny margin (0.08%). 

Plus, you only see that uptick if you zoom in super closely. Taking an even slightly longer view shows that rates have been mostly steady for the last couple of years.  And barring a major financial upheaval, experts expect that to hold. 

Take Fannie Mae, one of the largest mortgage entities in the country, as an example. Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE). The experts there anticipate that mortgage rates will stay relatively steady through the rest of this year and into 2027. 

That projection applies to conventional loans, not VA loans. Still, both types of mortgages are subject to the same market forces. And that means VA borrowers shouldn’t expect a steep drop in rates anytime soon. 

Now, here’s the good news. While VA rates probably won’t fall significantly in the months ahead, you still have a leg up if you can qualify for this kind of mortgage. VA loan rates tend to beat conventional rates. So even if rates don’t fall, you can still probably score a lower one than the average American. 

The right timing depends on your situation

When you get or refinance a mortgage, you’re thinking long term. You’ll likely have that VA loan for 15 or 30 years. 

But that doesn’t mean the mortgage rate market has a similarly zoomed-out view. In fact, it’s somewhat volatile. VA rates follow closely behind economic news like bond yields and inflation. In short, things change day to day. 

This might hurt or help, depending on your situation. But there’s rarely a perfect time to buy or refinance a house with a VA loan. 

Think about people who bought during the pandemic, when rates were at record lows. A lot of people entered the market for the first time during that era, but some decided to wait it out. The thinking was that house prices were high, so waiting made more sense. Maybe listing prices would fall (they didn’t). 

Now, mortgage rates are almost twice what we saw in that low period. And since home prices haven’t come down significantly, the people who took the leap then were probably financially savvy to have done so. 

We can’t predict the future. As a result, there’s no “perfect” time to buy or refinance a house. If you’re currently renting and you can afford to buy, there’s a good chance it makes sense to become a homeowner, even in the current interest rate environment. That way, you’ll be building equity with your monthly housing payment instead of throwing it away by handing it over to your landlord. 

It helps to sit down and evaluate your situation. What would buying or refinancing unlock for you? 

Getting your lowest rate

Even if experts say we shouldn’t expect a serious drop in VA rates, you can still take steps to make your mortgage or refi as affordable as possible. If you’re thinking now might be the right time to make a move, we have a few tips to help. 

Watch for movement

If you’re really committed, you can keep an eye on the market. Watching mortgage rate trends can help you strike while the iron is hot. 

When you decide it’s the right time to act, ask lenders about a rate lock. This lets you lock in the current rate while you go through the work of finalizing your mortgage. That means that if rates jump, you still have access to the rate that motivated you to initiate things in the first place. 

Improve your financial standing

You can’t control what the mortgage market will do, and that means you don’t have power over VA rates in general. But you do have control over the rate you get offered. 

The better your financial profile looks, the more you lower the risk for lenders that decide to offer you a VA loan. Things like a better credit score, more disposable income, and money saved up for a bigger down payment can all help you get a lower rate. 

Work with the right lender

Even if you score a great interest rate, your VA loan could still end up costing you. You don’t get this kind of mortgage or refinance straight from the VA (unless you qualify for a Native American Direct Loan). 

That means you need to work with a lender. And each lender is allowed to charge their own fees (up to a ceiling). And they get to decide what interest rate to offer you, too.

That means comparing lenders can lead to serious savings. Get quotes from multiple lenders, then evaluate the interest rate they offer you along with the fees. Comparing what’s on the table helps you identify the most cost-effective loan. 

We can help you shop your options here. Our VA rate table compiles rate offers from leading lenders so you can get a snapshot of what’s available today. Start keeping an eye on that table as you work on your own financial profile. That way, you’ll be able to identify the right time to kick off your home purchase or refinance with a VA loan.

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