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Home » No Down Payment » USDA Loans » Guidelines
USDA Loans.
0% Down, 6% Seller Closing Credit Allowed!
Buy a house in a designated USDA eligible area with no money down
USDA Loans Program Guidelines
Loan Purpose
- Purchase
- One-time Close Construction Loan
- Rate-term refinance for existing USDA Loans
Credit Profile
- 580 minimum middle credit score for all borrowers on the loan – purchase
- 640 minimum middle credit score for all borrowers on the loan – one-time close construction loan
- No foreclosure, short sale, or Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge within three years of contract ratification date on credit report not permitted
- Minimum of two tradelines on credit, with a positive pay history within the most recent 12-month period. Accounts can be open or closed
- If two tradelines aren’t on credit, alternative tradelines can be
- No mortgage delinquency in the last 12 months for a USDA-to-USDA Refinance
Loan Amount
- No maximum loan amounts
Commitment Fee/Monthly Annual Fee
- USDA charges a 1% Commitment Fee
- Commitment Fee can be financed into the loan Example: Purchase price – $100,000 Base Loan amount – $100,000 Commitment Fee – $1,010 ($100,000 [purchase price] /.99 – 100,000) Maximum financed loan amount = $101,010
- USDA requires a monthly Annual Fee (i.e. mortgage insurance premium) with an annual factorial of .35%
Ratios
- 33.99/45.99% (DTI) with GUS Accept/Eligible underwriting findings
- 29/41% debt-to-income (DTI) with GUS Accept/Refer underwriting findings and credit score less than 679
- 31.99/42.99 with GUS Accept/Refer underwriting findings and credit score greater than 680 and with compensating factors such as:
- 680 or higher credit score
- No or low “payment shock” – less than a 100% increase in proposed mortgage payment Vs. current rental housing expenses
- Fiscally sound use of credit
- Ability to accumulate savings
- Stable employment history with 2 or more in current position or continuous employment history with no job gaps
- Cash reserves available for use after settlement
- Career advancement as indicated by job training or additional education in the applicants profession
- Trailing spouse income – as a result of a job transfer, the house is being purchased, prior to the secondary wage-earner obtaining employment. If the secondary wage-earner has an established history of employment and has a reasonable chance to obtain new employment in the area
- Low total debt load
Property Type
- Must be located in an eligible USDA Rural Development Location
- Owner-occupied properties
- Existing attached and detached single-family residences
- New construction with permanent financing only
- PUD’s (i.e. Townhomes)
- Condo-units. HUD, VA, FNMA or FHLMC approved project
- Log cabin homes, provided Appraisal Report lists other comparable log cabin homes that have recently sold in the area
Occupancy
- Owner occupied only
- All borrowers on the loan must have ownership in and occupy the property
- No co-signers permitted
Property Valuation
- Full USDA appraisal with interior inspection and photos
Documentation
- All loans must be fully documented per Agency Guidelines
- For Self Employed borrowers, in addition to Agency Guidelines, two years of the tax returns (personal and business) along with a year-to-date profit and loss (unaudited)
Down Payment/Closing Costs
- 0% down payment required
- Seller contribution toward buyers closing costs up to 6% of the purchase price
- Closing cost help can come from flexible sources including family member gifts and loans against a 401k retirement account
- If the appraised value of the property exceeds the purchase price, the difference can be used to cover closing costs
Terms
- Amortization period: 30-year fixed rate
Existing Properties Owned
- USDA primarily often won’t allow applicants to own other properties
- Exceptions include when the other property owned is:
- Not owned in the local commuting area as the new property; or
- Not structurally sound and/or functionally adequate
- Manufactured home not on a permanent foundation