USDA Loans

USDA's eligibility map is broader than people expect. Most towns under 35,000 people qualify, and many small cities and outer suburbs of major metros are inside the eligible zone. Send us any address and we'll check it against the official USDA map in seconds.

If you're house-shopping in a small town, an exurb, or a college town outside a major metro, USDA is almost always worth checking before you default to FHA or conventional.

USDA caps household income at 115% of the area median for the county. The limits are higher than most people assume — in many counties, a household earning over $110,000 still qualifies. The calculation includes everyone in the household over 18 and looks at gross income, with deductions for dependents and certain expenses.

We run the eligibility calculation up front so you know with certainty before you fall in love with a house.

USDA charges a 1% upfront guarantee fee (rolled into the loan) and a 0.35% annual fee paid monthly. Both are dramatically lower than FHA's mortgage insurance, and the annual fee continues for the life of the loan.

Interest rates on USDA loans typically beat conventional pricing because the loan is government-guaranteed, which lowers risk for the investor.

The home must be your primary residence and modest in size and amenities — no income-producing properties and no in-ground pools in some markets. Most single-family homes in eligible areas qualify without issue.

We pre-flag any property concerns during the offer stage so there are no surprises at appraisal.