USDA mortgages are rural development loans issued by a participating local lender and guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture. These loans are available for homes in qualifying rural areas. Eligible addresses can be found here.
Benefits
The biggest benefit of USDA mortgages is that they offer 100% financing, meaning you do not need a down payment. The process is easy as you do not need additional paperwork other than the regular required documents for applying for a mortgage. Also, the government funding fee is one of the lowest for government-issued loans.
Requirements
As mentioned, in order to qualify for a USDA mortgage the home being financed must be in a qualifying rural area. In addition, the applicant cannot own any other properties. This includes any rental properties and if the applicant currently owns a home they will need to sell it before they qualify. There is also an income limit per household that is dependent upon the county that the home is in. You can determine income eligibility here. The minimum credit score for all applicants is 640.
Getting Started
If you are interested in applying for a USDA mortgage, contact a member of our mortgage department at mortgage@uoficreditunion.org or by calling 217-278-7700.
