Team Mortgage Company knows that securing a rural development loan often confuses buyers. USDA rural development loans provide low-cost insured home mortgage loans offering a variety of options. A USDA mortgage loan works best you want to purchase a home with no down payment in an area populated by less than 10,000 people.
Our Grand Rapids rural development loan experts can walk you through your options and help you to determine whether you qualify for this specialized loan. If you are unsure about your credit rating, or have concerns about a down payment, USDA rural development loans can give you piece of mind with their low closing costs and flexible payment options.
Our lenders specialize in several types of RD loans, including:
- USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Loans: The most common type of USDA rural development loan, USDA Guaranteed Loans allow for higher income limits and 100% financing for home purchases. USDA Guaranteed Loan applicants may have an income of up to 115% of the median household income for the area. Area income limits for this program can be viewed here. All USDA Guaranteed Loans carry 30 year terms and are set at a fixed rate.
- USDA Direct Rural Housing Loans: USDA Direct Housing Loans are less common than USDA Guaranteed Loans and are only available for low and very low income households to obtain home ownership, as defined by the USDA. Very low income is defined as below 50 percent of the area median income (AMI); low income is between 50 and 80 percent of AMI; moderate income is 80 to 100 percent of AMI. Click hereto see area income limits for this program.
The mortgage professionals at Team Mortgage Company aim to guide you through the rural development loan process to determine whether you would benefit from a USDA Rural Development Mortgage.
USDA rural development loans offer many benefits and protections not found with other loans. While not credit score driven, these loans require borrowers to have at least a 620 FICO score to obtain approval through most lenders.
USDA mortgage guidelines provide borrowers with the benefit of the doubt that past circumstances affecting your credit score no longer apply to your current situation. Individuals showing a consistent effort to improve their credit situation often qualify for an USDA rural loan mortgage.
USDA Rural Development Loans offer great interest rates and lower mortgage insurance (PMI). The daily USDA mortgage rates are usually comparable to a conforming 30-year fixed loan.
Unlike other loan programs, RD loans require no down payment. To be eligible for an USDA Rural Development Loan, your monthly housing costs (mortgage principal and interest, property taxes and insurance) must meet a specified percentage of your gross monthly income (29% ratio). You must also have enough income to pay your housing costs plus all additional monthly debt (41% ratio). These ratios offer some flexibility with compensating factors.
Applicants for loans qualify with an income of up to 115% of the median income for the area. Maximum USDA Guaranteed Loan income limits for your area can be found here. Maximum USDA Direct Loan income limits for your area can be found here. Families must be without adequate housing, but be able to afford the mortgage payments, including taxes and insurance.
The maximum amount for a USDA home loan is determined by:
- Maximum Loan Amount: USDA residential loans contain no set maximum loan amount. Instead, your debt-to-income ratios dictates how much your home can afford (29/41 ratios). Additionally, your total household monthly income must be within USDA allowed maximum income limits for your area. Maximum USDA Guaranteed Loan income limits for your area can be found at here.
- Maximum financing:The maximum USDA Rural Loan amounts to 102% of the appraised value of the home (100% plus the 2% USDA rural development loan guarantee fee).
Are you curious about the minimum down payment for an USDA Rural Loan? USDA Mortgage Loans require no down payment and they allow for the closing costs to be included in the loan amount (appraisal permitting). While USDA mortgage guidelines require that the owner occupies the house, they do allow you to purchase condos, planned unit developments, manufactured homes and single family residences.
Eligibility requires a rural development loan, your monthly housing costs (mortgage principal and interest, property taxes and insurance) must meet a specified percentage of your gross monthly income (29% ratio). At least a 620 FICO credit score is required to obtain an USDA approval through most lenders.
You must also have enough income to pay your housing costs plus all additional monthly debt (41% ratio). These percentages may exceed with compensating factors. Applicants for loans may have an income of up to 115% of the median income for the area. Maximum USDA Loan income limits for your area can be found here. Families must lack adequate housing but have the capacity to afford the mortgage payments, including taxes and insurance.
All rural development loans are fixed-rate mortgages. In a fixed rate mortgage, your interest rate stays the same during the whole loan period, normally 30 years. With a fixed-rate mortgage you always know exactly your monthly payment.
Rural areas include open country and places with population of 10,000 or less and—under certain conditions—towns and cities. An automated rural area eligibility calculator can be found here: http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov
For more information about rural development loans from the experts at Team Mortgage Company, contact us here or call us at 616.974.9710.
