Mike Certo · Cornerstone First Mortgage · NMLS #260555 ·
Oregon-licensed VA loan specialist. Relocating to Oregon or moving up in the Portland metro? A disabled Veteran claiming Oregon's property tax exemption? Weighing the ORVET state loan against a federal VA loan? We do this every day. Direct line: (480) 296-6513.
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Most VA mortgage sites are national templates with thin Oregon pages. The big national lenders dominate "VA loan" search results, but their state-level content is mostly the same paragraphs with the state name swapped. Their Oregon pages are usually the same national paragraphs with the state name swapped. This site is the other thing — written for Oregon Veterans by a team that originates Oregon VA loans, including the parts unique to Oregon.
A few decisions worth flagging:
Every base gets its own deep page. Not a paragraph. Not a templated stub. 4,500-8,000 words per base covering BAH by rank, neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown, school districts, commute by gate, on-base housing waitlist reality, base-specific MPR pitfalls, and a 45-day PCS timeline. Oregon has no major active-duty base, so we lead with statewide VA and relocation guidance plus the Guard and Coast Guard footprint. See Portland Air National Guard Base.
Oregon's disabled-Veteran property tax exemption gets the depth it deserves. Oregon exempts a fixed amount of your home's assessed value — $32,512 for a service-connected disability or $27,092 otherwise (2026-27), for Veterans rated 40% or higher, filed by April 1. It is a fixed exemption, not a full one. Read the full pillar →
The ORVET state loan is a real Oregon advantage. Oregon is one of only a few states with its own Veteran home loan (no funding fee, usable up to four times) — separate from the federal VA loan. We compare both so you choose the cheaper path. See ORVET vs federal VA →
The 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard, at Portland International Airport. Most members draw BAH when activated and buy across the Portland metro.
Buyers look at Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham, and Vancouver across the river.
Statewide Oregon Army National Guard, with Camp Rilea (Warrenton) as the main training center and units across the state.
Guard families buy in Salem, the Willamette Valley, and the coast.
U.S. Coast Guard along the Columbia River and Oregon coast (Astoria, Warrenton, and beyond).
Buyers look at Astoria, Warrenton, and the North Coast.
Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base (173rd Fighter Wing) in Klamath Falls is Oregon's main flying mission; we serve buyers there and statewide.
Three things changed in 2026 that affect every Oregon VA buyer:
Oregon exempts a fixed amount of your home's assessed value (not a flat tax credit): $32,512 for a service-connected disability and $27,092 for a non-service-connected disability for the 2026-27 tax year. You need a 40% or higher disability certification, Oregon residency, and an owner-occupied home; file by April 1. An unremarried surviving spouse or partner qualifies. Full pillar with application instructions →
Oregon is one of only a few states with its own Veteran home loan, the ODVA / ORVET Oregon Veteran Home Loan — separate from the federal VA Home Loan. It is purchase-only and owner-occupied, has no funding fee, and is usable up to four times over your lifetime. We compare ORVET against a federal VA loan and show you which is cheaper for your situation.
Normal VA loans follow conventional limits — $832,750 in 2026 across all of Oregon, which has no high-cost counties (Portland/Multnomah, Eugene/Lane, and Bend/Deschutes are all baseline). A Veteran with full entitlement can finance a higher-priced home with $0 down using a VA jumbo; we handle VA jumbo above the limit for full-entitlement borrowers. Full loan limits guide →
Mike handles the full VA loan menu across the Oregon market:
For non-VA borrowers (military spouses without VA eligibility, civilian buyers), I also handle conventional and FHA loans through Cornerstone's full product menu.
A VA loan isn't a different mortgage — it's a conventional 30-year fixed (or 15-year, or ARM) mortgage with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteeing 25% of the loan to the lender. That guarantee is what lets lenders offer the VA loan's key features:
The VA also imposes some unique requirements:
A few things that should be true of working with any loan officer, and aren't always:
Eligibility requires: (a) qualifying military service (active duty 90+ days during wartime, 181+ days during peacetime, or 6+ years National Guard/Reserve); (b) honorable or general-under-honorable discharge; (c) sufficient remaining entitlement. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the official confirmation — Mike can pull it from the VA in 24-48 hours. Full eligibility guide →
Yes. VA entitlement is restorable. If you've paid off a prior VA loan, the entitlement comes back. If you have an active VA loan and want a second simultaneous one (common for active-duty members who relocate but want to keep the original home as a rental), partial entitlement applies — Mike will walk through the math.
No — that's the conventional loan rule, not the VA rule. With VA, $0 down is the standard for borrowers with full entitlement. Some buyers put 5-10% down anyway to lower their monthly payment, reduce their funding fee, or shape the monthly payment differently. Mike will model both scenarios for you.
The VA funding fee is a one-time fee (1.25%-3.30% of loan amount depending on down payment and whether it's your first VA use) that goes to the VA to keep the program self-funding. The funding fee is waived entirely for borrowers with a 10% or higher VA disability rating. That's a $5K-$15K savings on a typical Oregon purchase.
No. VA loans require the property to be your primary residence (which you must occupy within 60 days of closing). The exception is multi-unit properties (2-4 units) where you live in one unit and rent the others — that's still a primary residence in VA's eyes. For investment properties, conventional or Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans apply.
If you've gotten this far, you've probably figured out whether this is the right site for your situation. The next move is a free 30-minute call. No pressure, no script, no follow-up sales calls.
Bring your orders (if PCSing), your latest LES or pay stub, and any questions about base, neighborhood, rate, or the path forward. I'll walk through actual numbers.
(480) 296-6513 · mcerto@cfmtg.com · NMLS #260555
Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. This site is educational and not a commitment to lend. Loans subject to buyer and property qualification.
Tax, legal, and property assessment information on this site (including disabled-Veteran property tax exemption coverage and county application notes) is provided for general information purposes only. Mike Certo is a mortgage loan originator, not a tax professional or attorney. Consult a licensed Oregon CPA, enrolled agent, or attorney for tax or legal advice specific to your situation. All cited statutes, agency forms, and program rules are linked to original sources for verification.
