The full name of this program is USDA Rural Housing Guaranteed Loan Program . We’ll simplify its name here to the USDA Loan . If you prefer, our office calls it the Meat Loan. This is the first of two articles. Article number one introduces the program’s benefits . Article two covers the qualifying aspect, which is easier than most consumers anticipate. We’ll need a program to compare to USDA, so we’ll use its closest relative, the FHA loan program. Let’s get to the first USDA loan benefit: 1. No down payment required That’s right, USDA loans require no down payment and have a standard 30-year fixed term. 2. Nominal mortgage insurance In 18+ years of lending I’ve encountered zero home buyers who want or like mortgage insurance. Compared to similar down payment options across other programs, USDA loans require lowest-in-class mortgage insurance. Government loans split their mortgage insurance (MI) between an upfront fee, financed into the loan amount, and the MI that contributes to the payment amount. The MI that contributes to one’s payment is known by different names, but we’ll call it the mortgage insurance factor or MI factor . USDA’s MI factor, also called its Guarantee Fee, is 0.35% . This program requires 0% down. USDA’s upfront fee is 1.00% or 0.01 times the loan amount, financed into the loan. FHA’s MI factor, also called its Mortgage Insurance Premium is 0.55% . This program requires at least 3.5% down. The upfront government fee for FHA is 1.75% , also financed into the loan amount.