By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: VA home loans on Maui can require no down payment, and borrowers with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. With partial entitlement, Maui County’s 2026 conforming limit of $1,299,500 sets the guaranty. Purchase funding fees run 1.25% to 3.3%, and condos must be in a VA-approved project.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and with Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, this is a good moment to lay out how VA home loans on Maui work in 2026. Maui prices make the details matter. The countywide single-family median was $1,219,000 for January through September 2026, according to the REALTORS® Association of Maui (RAM), so entitlement, funding fees and condo approval can change what a VA buyer can actually do here.

Is there a VA loan limit on Maui in 2026?

Not if you have full entitlement. VA’s loan limits page (updated Aug. 12, 2025) says a borrower with full entitlement doesn’t have a loan limit, as long as they can afford the loan and the appraisal supports the price. The lender still sets its own credit and income standards.

If you have an active VA loan or used entitlement that hasn’t been restored, the county limit comes into play. VA uses the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s one-unit conforming limit, which is $1,299,500 for Maui County in 2026. VA’s guaranty generally covers 25% of the loan, so a lender may ask for a down payment if your remaining entitlement doesn’t cover 25% of the amount you want to borrow.

Your situation	How the limit works (as of Oct. 2026)
Full entitlement	No VA loan limit; lender and appraisal still apply
Partial entitlement	Remaining entitlement = 25% of $1,299,500, minus entitlement already used
Gap in coverage	Lender may require a down payment to cover 25% of the loan

FHFA usually announces the next year’s conforming limits in late November, so the 2027 Maui figure is still ahead. For more on the conforming limit itself, see my post on Maui’s $1,299,500 conforming loan limit.

How much is the VA funding fee?

The VA funding fee is a one-time charge based on the loan amount and your down payment. Here’s VA’s purchase-loan table (page updated Oct. 5, 2026):

Down payment	First use	After first use
Less than 5%	2.15%	3.3%
5% or more	1.5%	1.5%
10% or more	1.25%	1.25%

On a $1,000,000 loan with less than 5% down, a first-time user’s fee would be $21,500. You can finance the funding fee into the loan, but on a purchase loan VA says all other fees must be paid at closing.

Some borrowers are exempt, including veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability, surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, and active-duty service members who provide evidence of a Purple Heart on or before closing. Your lender confirms exemption using your Certificate of Eligibility.

Can I use a VA loan to buy a Maui condo?

Yes, if the condo project is VA-approved. VA lists eligible property types as homes of up to four units, condos in a VA-approved project, manufactured homes and new construction. Check the building’s status on VA’s condo approval search before you write an offer, and ask your lender what it would take to get an unapproved project reviewed.

The other key rule is occupancy. VA says you must live in the home you buy. That makes a VA loan a fit for a primary residence, not for a unit you plan to run as a vacation rental. Bill 9 (Ordinance 5909, signed Dec. 15, 2025) is phasing out vacation rentals in apartment-zoned Minatoya list buildings, and some of those units may now appeal to buyers who plan to live in them, as long as the project’s approval and the association’s budget check out. My guide to Maui condo financing rules covers the conventional side.

Can a seller help with closing costs on a VA loan?

Yes, within limits. VA caps seller concessions at 4% of the home’s reasonable value from the VA Notice of Value. Concessions include things like paying your funding fee, paying off debt or prepaying hazard insurance. VA says there is no limit on seller credits toward normal loan closing costs, which are counted separately from that 4%. On Maui, where homeowners and condo insurance can be a big part of the monthly budget, structuring those credits well can matter.

Does Maui County offer a property tax break for disabled veterans?

Yes. Maui County has a property tax exemption for severely disabled veterans (Maui County Code 3.48.475), defined as having a VA disability rating of 70% or higher. The claimant must own and occupy the home as a principal residence as of Jan. 1, 2027, and the claim (form DFT-475) is due Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026. The County verifies the rating with VA. If you’re closing on a home this fall, put that date on your calendar, along with the County’s Dec. 31 home exemption deadline.

My Take: What I’m Telling VA Buyers on Maui

Start with your Certificate of Eligibility and a lender who closes VA loans in Hawaiʻi regularly. Knowing whether you have full or partial entitlement on day one tells you whether the $1,299,500 county figure matters to your search at all.

Next, decide early whether you’re shopping homes, condos or both. For condos, I check VA approval before a buyer falls for a unit, then look at the same things I look at for any buyer: the association’s history of financial decisions, the total HOA cost and what it covers, and the insurance picture. A VA buyer with no down payment has less cushion if an association special assessment shows up after closing.

Finally, the VA appraisal sets the reasonable value, and a no-down-payment loan expects the price to be at or below it. In a market where condo and single-family medians are both lower than in 2025, per RAM, I lean on very recent comparable sales when we write the offer.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice; confirm with a CPA or Hawaiʻi attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VA loan limit in Maui County for 2026?
There’s no VA limit with full entitlement. With partial entitlement, VA uses Maui County’s 2026 conforming limit of $1,299,500 to calculate your remaining guaranty.

Can I buy a Maui vacation rental with a VA loan?
VA requires that you live in the home you buy with the loan, so a VA loan is meant for a primary residence.

Do I need a down payment for a VA loan on Maui?
Often not, if you have full entitlement and the price doesn’t exceed the appraised value. A down payment lowers the funding fee and may be required with partial entitlement.

Are Maui condos eligible for VA loans?
Only condos in VA-approved projects. Check the project on VA’s condo approval search before making an offer.

Ask Benjamin

If you’re a VA borrower thinking about a home or condo on Maui, I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’d be glad to help you compare options and timelines. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA.gov loan limits, funding fee and closing costs, and purchase loan pages, 2025-2026); Federal Housing Finance Agency 2026 conforming loan limits, as reported by Hoodline (Dec. 1, 2025); County of Maui, Disability Exemption for Disabled Veterans (form DFT-475); County of Maui (Ordinance 5909, Dec. 15, 2025); REALTORS® Association of Maui September 2026 report.