Loan Programs · USDA

USDA: the most underused $0-down loan in Florida.

Most people hear "USDA" and think farms. The reality: a huge chunk of Florida — small towns, suburb edges, growing communities — qualifies. $0 down, lower MI than FHA, fixed 30-year. If your zip qualifies and your household income fits, this is often the best loan in the building.

USDA loan parameters.

Officially called "USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Loan." Backed by the USDA, originated by lenders like us. The two gates are property location and household income — both are more flexible than people assume.

Down Payment

$0 down. 100% financing. Closing costs can be rolled in if appraised value exceeds purchase price.

Property Eligibility

Must be in a USDA-eligible area (we check the map). More FL qualifies than you'd think — even some suburb-edge zips.

Income Limits

~$112,450 for 1–4 person household in most FL counties (2026). Higher in high-cost. Based on total household income.

Credit Floor

640 for streamlined approval. Below 640 needs manual underwriting + strong compensating factors.

Mortgage Insurance

1% upfront guarantee fee (financed) + 0.35% annual fee. Lower than FHA, but does run the life of the loan.

Property Type

Primary residence only. SFR, eligible townhomes, eligible condos. Manufactured allowed in some scenarios.

USDA vs FHA — for Florida buyers in eligible areas.

USDA wins on cost

$0 down vs FHA's 3.5%, lower MI fees, similar rates. Over 30 years, USDA is meaningfully cheaper than FHA — when you qualify.

FHA wins on flexibility

FHA has no income cap and works on any property. USDA has both. If your household income is over the cap or the property's outside the eligible map, FHA is your route. See FHA →

Florida areas where USDA actually works

Lake City, Live Oak, Crestview, Brooksville outskirts, Sebring, Okeechobee, large parts of Citrus and Hernando counties, some Polk and Pasco zips, much of the panhandle outside Pensacola/Destin core. We pull the exact map.

Stack with FL Hometown Heroes

If you qualify for Hometown Heroes (teachers, nurses, EMS, military, etc.) AND USDA, you can stack DPA on top of $0-down. Almost no cash to close. We've done this stack.

Send me a zip — I'll tell you in 60 seconds if USDA works.

We'll check eligibility, run your income against the limit, and lay out the full $0-down path. No obligation, no pressure.

Check Eligibility