Seminole and Bay Pines area
Closest to Bay Pines VA Medical Center
Popular areas: Seminole, Bay Pines, the Park Street area, Madeira Beach
Minutes from the VA medical center. Lower-lying areas near the water often need flood insurance.
Home / Florida cities & bases / St. Petersburg & Clearwater
VA loans in St. Petersburg & Clearwater, FL
Retiring on Florida’s Gulf Coast, stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater or MacDill, or already a Pinellas County Veteran? Here’s what a VA loan looks like in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Largo: where Veterans live, Bay Pines and the other VA care nearby, what taxes and insurance really cost, and every benefit that stacks if you have a disability rating.
Check Your Eligibility Book a 15-Minute Call
✓ Soft credit pull only. Applying won’t affect your credit score.
- My team reviews your application as soon as it comes in.
- If you qualify, you get a pre-approval letter and a full itemized estimate.
- If you’re not there yet, you get a clear plan to get ready.
$0Down with full entitlement
$2,7092026 BAH, E-5 with dependents
$0Funding fee if you receive VA disability pay
No limitVA loan limit with full entitlement. What you can borrow is set by your income, not a cap.
Can I use a VA loan on an older condo in St. Petersburg or Clearwater? Yes, if the building is VA-approved and you’ll live there full time. With full entitlement it’s $0 down. Many Pinellas condo buildings are older, and Florida’s condo safety laws are raising dues and special assessments, so my team checks the association before you commit. Price flood and wind insurance early too.
Pinellas County and nearby
Where Veterans buy around St. Petersburg and Clearwater
Pinellas is a peninsula: the Gulf beaches on one side, Tampa Bay on the other. Bay Pines VA Medical Center sits in the middle, which is a big reason so many Veterans retire here.
St. Petersburg
South Pinellas
Popular areas: Northeast St. Pete, Kenwood, Shore Acres, Tyrone, Pinellas Park
Close to the St. Petersburg VA Clinic. Some neighborhoods flooded in recent storms, so check flood history and the elevation certificate.
Largo and Clearwater
Mid and north Pinellas
Popular areas: Largo, Clearwater, Belleair, Dunedin
Close to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater. Higher ground in parts of Largo and inland Clearwater can mean lower flood costs.
Palm Harbor and Pasco County
North along US-19
Popular areas: Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, Trinity, Wesley Chapel
Newer homes and more for the money in Pasco. New Port Richey has its own VA clinic.
Nearest VA care: Bay Pines VA Medical Center (Bay Pines Boulevard, Bay Pines), plus VA clinics nearby.
All VA locations near St. Petersburg & Clearwater
Bay Pines VA Medical Center
Bay Pines Boulevard, Bay Pines
St. Petersburg VA Clinic
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North, St. Petersburg
North Pinellas VA Clinic
US Highway 19 North, Clearwater
New Port Richey VA Clinic
Little Road, New Port Richey
Locations from VA.gov. Services change, so confirm with the VA before you count on a specific clinic.
2026 BAH · Tampa (FL066)
What your BAH covers in St. Petersburg & Clearwater
Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and MacDill AFB both use the Tampa housing allowance. These are the monthly 2026 rates, effective January 1. See every grade and every Florida housing area on the Florida BAH page.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $2,520 | $1,932 |
| E-5 | $2,709 | $2,187 |
| E-6 | $3,042 | $2,346 |
| E-7 | $3,066 | $2,526 |
| E-8 | $3,075 | $2,781 |
| W-2 | $3,072 | $2,778 |
| O-2 | $3,039 | $2,649 |
| O-3 | $3,081 | $2,919 |
| O-4 | $3,255 | $3,042 |
| O-5 | $3,390 | $3,057 |
BAH is tax-free, so when my team qualifies you we gross it up by 25%. A $2,709 allowance counts like about $3,386 of taxable pay. Run your numbers with the residual income calculator.
Pinellas County and nearby counties
Property taxes: the number to check on every address
In Pinellas County, homeowners pay about 0.7% of their home’s value in property tax each year on average. That average is held down by Florida’s homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap, which limits how fast a homestead’s assessed value can rise. When a home sells, its value resets to market value, so a new buyer usually pays more than the seller did, and two homes a mile apart can differ a lot.
Disabled Veteran exemptions
| Who qualifies | Florida exemption |
|---|---|
| Service-connected disability of 10% or more | $5,000 off assessed value |
| Age 65 or older with a combat-related disability | Tax discount equal to your disability percentage |
| Service-connected total and permanent disability | Full exemption on your homestead |
What that’s worth in St. Petersburg & Clearwater: on a $350,000 to $425,000 home in Pinellas County at the county’s average 0.7% effective rate, a full exemption removes at least $2,400 to $3,000 a year in property taxes. A new buyer’s bill is usually higher than that average, so the real savings is often more.
- These stack on top of Florida’s regular homestead exemption of up to about $50,000.
- Non-ad valorem assessments (like solid waste or fire fees) can still apply.
- Eligible surviving spouses may keep the exemption.
You apply with the county property appraiser once you own and live in the home. How Florida’s exemptions work
What this means at closing
- Your estimate uses taxes on the price you pay, without exemptions, until your homestead and Veteran exemptions are on file.
- Florida property taxes are billed once a year in November, with a discount for paying early. Most VA loans pay them from escrow.
- File your homestead exemption with the property appraiser by March 1 after you move in.
- Nearby counties: Pasco (New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel) about 0.73%. My team uses the exact taxes for your address in your estimate.
Average effective rates are median property taxes paid divided by median home value for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. They include exemptions and caps current owners already receive.
Florida homeowners insurance
Price insurance before you write an offer
In Florida, insurance often changes your payment more than the interest rate does. Get quotes early, while you can still walk away. Homeowners insurance on a Florida VA loan
Wind mitigation inspection
A wind mitigation report documents features like roof shape, roof-to-wall connections and storm shutters or impact windows. Insurers give credits for them, and the savings can be large. Ask the seller for a recent one or order your own.
Roof age and 4-point inspections
On older homes, insurers often require a 4-point inspection of the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling. An older roof can make a home hard to insure, so ask its age first. The VA appraisal also checks the roof.
Flood zones
If the home is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone, flood insurance is required. Even outside those zones, flood coverage is worth pricing near the coast, rivers and low areas. An elevation certificate can lower the cost.
Hurricane season and closing
When a named storm threatens the area, insurers can stop writing new policies until it passes. If you’re closing during hurricane season, bind your policy early so a storm doesn’t delay your closing.
Buying a condo? It has to be VA-approved, and Florida’s condo safety laws now require structural inspections and funded reserves for many buildings three stories or taller, which is raising dues and special assessments. My team checks the association before you commit. VA condo approval in Florida
PCS to MacDill & Air Station Clearwater
Buying before you report
- Get pre-approved with your orders. Your PCS orders and current LES show the income you’ll have at MacDill & Air Station Clearwater, including Tampa BAH.
- Pick your commute, then the neighborhood. Tell my team which part of Pinellas you like and how close you want to be to Bay Pines, and we’ll connect you with an agent who knows VA offers and flood insurance.
- Close before you arrive. Florida allows remote online notarization, so many closings can be signed from wherever you are.
- Move in and file your homestead. You need to intend to live there as your primary home, usually within about 60 days. Then file your homestead and any disabled Veteran exemption by March 1.
Retiring or separating in St. Petersburg & Clearwater
Retiring on the Gulf Coast
Pinellas County has one of Florida’s largest Veteran communities, with a VA medical center, Gulf beaches and no state income tax.
Base privileges and military care
- Commissary and exchange: retirees and eligible disabled Veterans can use MacDill AFB, across the bay in Tampa.
- VA care in the county: Bay Pines VA Medical Center plus clinics in St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
- No state income tax: Florida doesn’t tax your military retirement or Social Security.
Qualifying after you separate
- Military retirement pay and VA disability pay both count as income. VA disability isn’t taxed, which helps your numbers.
- Starting a civilian job? A signed offer with a start date can be used to qualify. Tell my team your separation and start dates early.
- Your benefit doesn’t expire. If you sold your last VA home and paid off that loan, your full entitlement comes back.
If you have a VA disability rating
The benefits that stack in St. Petersburg & Clearwater
Disabled Veterans can combine federal and Florida benefits that most buyers never hear about. Together they can lower your cash to close and your yearly taxes.
- No VA funding fee. Veterans who receive or are entitled to VA disability compensation are exempt. If your rating is awarded after closing with an effective date before it, you may be due a refund.
- Disability pay counts as income toward qualifying, alongside any retirement pay or wages.
- Florida property tax relief. A full homestead exemption with a total and permanent rating, $5,000 off assessed value at 10% or more, and a combat-related discount at 65 and older. On a $350,000 to $425,000 St. Petersburg & Clearwater home, a full exemption is worth at least $2,400 to $3,000 a year. See the tax section
- More Florida benefits at 100%. Florida offers other benefits to Veterans rated 100%, from license and park fees to education benefits for dependents. 100% VA disability benefits in Florida
- Adaptive housing grants. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities may qualify for a Specially Adapted Housing or Special Housing Adaptation grant, which can be used with a VA loan to buy, build or modify an accessible home.
Waiting on a claim? Tell my team. Your expected rating can change your funding fee and your taxes, so we plan around it.
Guard, Reserve and surviving spouses
The VA benefit isn’t only for active duty
National Guard and Reserve
You can earn VA loan eligibility through six years of Guard or Reserve service, or through qualifying active-duty time such as a federal activation. Your Certificate of Eligibility confirms it, and my team can pull it for you. VA loan eligibility
Surviving spouses
If your spouse died in service or from a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for a VA loan with the same $0 down benefit. Surviving spouses who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) don’t pay the funding fee, and Florida’s disabled Veteran property tax exemptions can continue for an eligible surviving spouse. We handle these files with extra care. VA loans for surviving spouses
Already a VA homeowner
Own a home already? You still have options
Kept a home at your last duty station?
You don’t have to sell it to buy in St. Petersburg & Clearwater. Your remaining entitlement can often buy your next home with $0 down while the first one stays a rental. VA entitlement calculator
Lower your rate or tap equity
A VA streamline refinance (IRRRL) can lower the rate on your current VA loan with less paperwork. A VA cash-out refinance lets you use your equity for repairs or debts.
Buying a home with an assumable VA loan
Some St. Petersburg & Clearwater sellers have older VA loans with low rates you may be able to take over. The seller’s loan servicer handles the assumption itself. My team can finance the second loan that covers the gap between the loan balance and the price. Assumable loan calculator
Hold on to your rate when you move
PCSing out later? You can keep your St. Petersburg & Clearwater home as a rental and keep its VA loan and rate in place. Your homestead exemption ends when it stops being your home, so plan for higher taxes on a rental.
Local know-how
What trips up St. Petersburg & Clearwater buyers
Flood risk varies by street
Recent storms flooded neighborhoods that had never flooded before. Check the FEMA zone, ask about past flooding, get the elevation certificate, and price flood insurance even if it isn’t required.
Condo dues and assessments
Pinellas has many older condo buildings. VA approval is required, and Florida’s condo safety laws are raising dues and special assessments at many of them. VA condo approval in Florida
Older homes and insurance
Much of Pinellas was built decades ago. Insurers often ask for a 4-point inspection and a newer roof, and the VA appraisal checks the roof too. A wind mitigation report can lower your premium.
55+ communities and manufactured homes
My team does VA loans on manufactured homes on a permanent foundation on land you own. Park model homes, RVs, and homes on leased lots in 55+ or RV parks don’t qualify for a VA loan.
Land and new construction
Want to build near the Gulf Coast?
Pinellas is mostly built out, but Pasco and Hernando counties to the north have land and new communities for a new home built to current wind codes. A VA one-time-close construction loan covers the land and the build in one loan: $0 down up to $1 million, with a 620 minimum credit score. New homes built to Florida’s current wind codes are often easier and cheaper to insure.
St. Petersburg & Clearwater VA loan FAQs
Questions from St. Petersburg & Clearwater Veterans and MacDill & Air Station Clearwater families
How much do I need down for a VA loan in St. Petersburg & Clearwater?
Nothing, if you have full VA entitlement. There is no VA loan limit with full entitlement and no monthly mortgage insurance. The VA funding fee can be rolled into the loan, and Veterans who receive VA disability compensation are exempt from it.
Can I buy a home in St. Petersburg & Clearwater before my PCS report date?
Yes. With PCS orders to MacDill & Air Station Clearwater you can be pre-approved, shop remotely and close before you arrive, as long as you intend to move in and make it your primary residence, usually within about 60 days. Your orders can document your income for the new duty station.
Does my BAH count as income for a VA loan in St. Petersburg & Clearwater?
Yes. BAH and BAS count as income. Because BAH is not taxed, my team grosses it up when we qualify you, which helps your numbers. Tampa BAH for 2026 ranges from $2,520 for an E-4 with dependents to $3,390 for an O-5 with dependents.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan in St. Petersburg & Clearwater?
There is no minimum credit score on a standard VA purchase or refinance with my team. We look first at your residual income, the money left each month after your housing payment and bills. VA construction loans start at a 620 score.
Do disabled Veterans pay property taxes in Pinellas County?
Florida Veterans with a service-connected total and permanent disability can be fully exempt from property taxes on their homestead. Veterans rated 10% or more get $5,000 off their home’s assessed value. Veterans 65 or older with a combat-related disability can get a discount equal to their disability percentage. These come on top of Florida’s regular homestead exemption.
Why will my property tax bill be higher than the seller’s?
Florida’s Save Our Homes cap limits how fast a homestead’s assessed value can rise while the owner keeps it. When the home sells, the value resets to market value for the new owner. So the seller’s tax bill can be much lower than yours will be. My team estimates your taxes on the price you pay, not the seller’s bill.
Can I use my VA loan in St. Petersburg & Clearwater if I still own a home at my last base?
Often, yes. If you keep your current VA home as a rental, your remaining entitlement can usually buy your St. Petersburg & Clearwater home with $0 down up to a certain price. Above that, you put 25% down on the difference. My team checks your exact numbers from your Certificate of Eligibility.
Can a surviving spouse get a VA loan in St. Petersburg & Clearwater?
Yes, if you are an eligible surviving spouse, for example of a service member who died in service or from a service-connected disability. Surviving spouses who receive DIC are exempt from the VA funding fee.
Where is the VA hospital near St. Petersburg and Clearwater?
Bay Pines VA Medical Center is in west-central Pinellas County, between St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Seminole, Largo and the Park Street area are closest. The VA also has clinics in St. Petersburg and Clearwater for everyday care.
Reviews
What Veterans say
4.9 on GoogleBased on 95 Google reviews of Shirley Mueller's team
VA construction loan
Shirley and her team were an absolute pleasure to work with. They helped my wife and I obtain a VA Construction Loan which gave us the ability to build our dream home.
Agent referral · VA purchase
Shirley was excellent to work with on our client’s VA home loan. VA loans can be tricky and it is so important to work with a loan officer that knows them well. Shirley did an excellent job!
VA purchase
Ms. Shirley and her team are the BEST. Clear communication, specialized VA knowledge, responsiveness, and reduced stress. Thank you all for your help .
VA one-time-close construction loan
Some agents on my team were more responsive than others. But the VA One Time Close Construction Loan is a big and complicated one. A lot of waiting involved and some miscommunication, but that happens with project like this. I believe Shirley’s team handled my loan better than any other lender I could have used. In the end, I know I was in good hands.
Problem solved fast
Ms Shirley and her team were among the top teir customer service representatives I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I'll admit, I was apprehensive at first, given the number of people that had their hands in everything. Tends to lead to confusion and things getting messed up, which takes time to fix. I brought an issue to Ms Shirley and without hesitation, calls the team members involved and conferences the issue. Absolutely stunned when that happened. This goes to show you the dedication of this team and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone! Thank you and I can't say it enough. Still hope for humanity yet.
First home · VA purchase
Absolutely top notch!!! This being our first home, I had no idea what to expect, and to be honest the thought of getting through this was quite stressful! This entire process from start to finish has been nothing short of amazing and stress-free. Everyone has been extremely friendly and helpful! All of my questions and concerns were addressed quickly and promptly! You have all made this veterans dream of home ownership come true, what a pleasure this journey has been! Thank you all!!
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