06/25/2014
10/08/2026
USDA financing provides eligible homebuyers with the ability to purchase a primary residence with 100% financing and no down payment. The USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program is designed for qualified low- to moderate-income households purchasing homes in eligible rural areas.
This program can be especially useful for borrowers who have sufficient income to qualify for a mortgage but want to minimize the amount of cash required for a down payment.
USDA Loan Program Highlights
- Up to 100% LTV financing
- No down payment required for eligible purchases
- 620 minimum credit score
- Purchase financing
- Eligible USDA refinance transactions
- Primary residence only
- 30-year fixed rate financing
- No cash out refinance
- Eligible rural property location required
- Household income limits apply
- First time homebuyer status is not required
- USDA upfront guarantee fee and annual fee apply
- USDA officially permits 100% financing for eligible borrowers and properties, and the program is not restricted to first time homebuyers.
USDA Purchase Financing
USDA purchase financing allows qualified borrowers to finance up to 100% of an eligible home’s value, which can eliminate the need for a traditional down payment.
The property must be located within a USDA eligible area and must be occupied as the borrower’s primary residence. Borrowers must also satisfy applicable household income and underwriting requirements.
Eligible transactions may include the purchase of an existing home or new construction, subject to USDA and lender requirements.
Financing Closing Costs and the USDA Guarantee Fee
USDA guidelines allow certain eligible closing costs and reasonable customary expenses to be included in the transaction.
The USDA upfront guarantee fee may also be financed. USDA guidance permits the maximum loan amount to exceed 100% of appraised value when the financed upfront guarantee fee is included.
The final loan amount remains subject to appraisal, eligibility, and underwriting requirements.
USDA Refinance Loans
USDA refinance programs are available for certain borrowers who already have an eligible USDA loan.
A refinance may be used to replace an existing USDA Section 502 Direct or Guaranteed loan with a new USDA mortgage, subject to the requirements of the applicable refinance option.
Rate/Term Refinance
An eligible USDA rate/term refinance may be used to pay off an existing USDA mortgage and replace it with a new USDA loan.
Depending on the refinance option, requirements may address:
- Existing USDA loan history
- Current interest rate
- Payment history
- Property occupancy
- Household income
- Loan seasoning
- Appraisal requirements
- Payment reduction requirements
Cash Out Refinance
Cash out is not available with USDA refinance financing.
USDA guidelines do not permit borrowers to receive cash from available property equity as part of the refinance transaction.
USDA Property Types
Eligible property types may include:
- Single family residences
- Condominiums
- Planned Unit Developments
- Modular homes
- Eligible manufactured homes
USDA specifically identifies detached and attached homes, condominiums, PUDs, modular homes, and manufactured housing as potentially eligible property types, subject to applicable program requirements.
The property generally cannot be used as an income producing property and must serve as the borrower’s permanent primary residence.
USDA Property Location Requirements
USDA financing is intended for properties located in designated eligible rural areas.
However, the term rural can be broader than many borrowers expect. Eligible locations can include small towns, communities outside major metropolitan areas, and certain suburban locations.
Property eligibility is determined by the USDA based on the specific property address and current geographic eligibility boundaries.
Is the Property USDA Eligible?
USDA provides an online property eligibility system that can be used to determine whether a specific address is located within an eligible area.
Because USDA eligibility boundaries can change, the property address should be checked during the loan qualification process rather than relying solely on the city or county.
USDA Household Income Limits
USDA loans are subject to household income limits.
For the USDA Guaranteed Loan Program, household income generally cannot exceed 115% of the applicable median household income for the area.
This is an important distinction because USDA considers household income for program eligibility rather than looking only at the qualifying income used to approve the mortgage.
Income limits vary based on:
- Property location
- Household size
- Applicable USDA income limits
- Allowable income adjustments and deductions
A borrower can therefore have sufficient qualifying income to obtain the mortgage while still needing to satisfy the separate USDA household income eligibility test.
USDA Credit Score Requirements
This program is available with a 620 minimum credit score, subject to lender underwriting requirements.
Credit score is only one part of the approval process. Underwriting may also evaluate:
- Mortgage and rental payment history
- Revolving and installment debt
- Debt-to-income ratios
- Employment history
- Income stability
- Assets
- Credit events
- Overall credit profile
Meeting the minimum credit score does not by itself guarantee loan approval.
USDA Debt-to-Income Requirements
USDA underwriting evaluates the relationship between the borrower’s qualifying income and monthly obligations.
Debt-to-income requirements may vary depending on the overall loan profile, automated underwriting findings, credit history, compensating factors, and lender overlays.
Borrowers with stronger overall credit profiles may have additional underwriting flexibility when permitted under USDA guidelines.
Primary Residence Requirement
USDA Guaranteed Loans are intended for owner occupied primary residences.
The borrower must agree to personally occupy the property as a primary residence. USDA financing is generally not available for:
- Investment properties
- Vacation homes
- Second homes
- Non owner occupied properties
USDA states that eligible borrowers must personally occupy the property as their primary residence.
USDA Mortgage Terms
USDA Guaranteed Loans generally use a 30-year fixed rate mortgage.
This provides borrowers with a fixed principal and interest payment over the term of the loan rather than an adjustable interest rate. USDA identifies 30-year fixed rate financing as the standard structure for the Guaranteed Loan Program.
USDA Guarantee Fee and Annual Fee
USDA Guaranteed Loans include an upfront guarantee fee and an annual fee.
The upfront guarantee fee may generally be financed into the loan rather than paid entirely out of pocket at closing.
The annual fee is calculated based on the outstanding principal balance and is typically collected as part of the borrower’s monthly mortgage payment.
These charges function differently from conventional private mortgage insurance and should be included when evaluating the total monthly payment and financing structure.
USDA Loans Are Not Just for First Time Homebuyers
USDA financing is not limited to first time homebuyers.
A borrower who has owned a home previously may still qualify as long as the borrower satisfies USDA occupancy, household income, credit, property eligibility, and other underwriting requirements.
Available States
This USDA loan program is available in:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Program availability may vary by state, lender, borrower qualifications, property location, and current underwriting requirements.
USDA Loan Qualification
USDA financing can be a strong option for borrowers seeking to purchase a primary residence with little or no money available for a down payment.
Qualification generally requires review of:
- Property eligibility
- Household income limits
- Borrower qualifying income
- Employment history
- Credit profile
- Debt-to-income ratios
- Existing monthly obligations
- Property type
- Occupancy
- Available assets and funds needed for closing
A loan officer can review the complete scenario to determine whether the borrower, property, and requested loan meet USDA and lender requirements.
Mortgage Pre-Qualification Form – No Credit Check
If you are considering USDA financing, complete our Mortgage Pre-Qualification Form – No Credit Check to have your loan scenario reviewed before submitting a full mortgage application.
We can review your income, credit profile, estimated purchase price, property location, and financing objective to determine whether a USDA loan or another available mortgage program may be appropriate.
A soft credit inquiry is also available when additional credit information is needed.