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in Mountain View, CA
Both FHA and USDA loans offer low or no down payment options. But in Mountain View, only one of them is realistically usable.
USDA loans require the property to sit in an eligible rural zone. Mountain View is dense Silicon Valley — most of it doesn't qualify.
FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration. You need 3.5% down with a 580 credit score, or 10% down with scores as low as 500.
FHA works on any eligible property in Mountain View. No geographic restrictions limit your home search here.
USDA loans offer zero down payment for buyers in USDA-eligible areas. The catch: Mountain View rarely qualifies under USDA property maps.
USDA also caps household income. In Santa Clara County, those limits are strict relative to local salaries. Many tech workers earn too much to qualify.
FHA charges 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance plus an annual premium. USDA charges 1% upfront and 0.35% annually — cheaper long-term if you qualify.
FHA sets county loan limits. USDA has no published loan cap, but income limits and property eligibility are the real gatekeepers in this market.
For most Mountain View buyers, FHA is the practical choice. USDA eligibility is nearly impossible to find within city limits here.
If you're buying near the edges of Santa Clara County — think rural pockets outside the core city grid — run a USDA eligibility check first. The savings are real if you qualify.
Most of Mountain View does not meet USDA rural area requirements. Check the USDA property eligibility map before assuming you qualify.
580 gets you 3.5% down. Scores between 500 and 579 require 10% down under FHA guidelines.
USDA has no hard loan limit. Your income, debt load, and income caps for the area determine how much you can borrow.
USDA wins on mortgage insurance cost — 0.35% annually versus FHA's higher annual premiums. But you must qualify first.
Probably not. USDA income limits in Santa Clara County are strict, and many local salaries exceed the cap.
Yes — if the condo project is FHA-approved. Not all complexes qualify, so check the FHA condo approval list early.