Direct and Guaranteed are not two flavours of one loan.
They share a section number. Everything that decides your payment is different.
USDA is the lender
Note rate 5.250% (effective 2026-08-01), but payment assistance drops what you pay to the greater of 24% of adjusted income or the payment at 1%.
33 years, 38 where adjusted income is at or below the county threshold. No mortgage insurance, no funding fee, 100% financing. Ratios 33% / 41%.
The catch: a county income ceiling you must be under, an area loan limit on the house, and subsidy is recaptured on sale, capped by your equity.
A bank is the lender
Market rate, 30-year fixed. USDA insures the loan for a 1.00% upfront fee financed into the balance and a 0.35% annual fee.
No area loan limit at all — the constraint is the payment ratio, 29% / 41%. A GUS "Accept" waives the ratio caps.
The catch: at a low income the ratio bites long before any loan limit would, which is why it buys less house here, not more.
What each county lets you buy
At a $60,000 adjusted income, household of 2, $1,500 monthly ceiling. Change those on the board to see your own.
| County | Direct income cap | Area loan limit | Max price, Direct | Max price, Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake | $106,150 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $188,989 |
| Franklin | $106,150 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $182,362 |
| Johnston | $106,150 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $184,083 |
| Nash | $64,150 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $185,396 |
| Granville | $72,900 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $181,724 |
| Vance | $62,650 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $180,672 |
| Person | $68,300 | $380,800 | $380,370 | $184,737 |
| Harnett | $71,500 | $324,700 | $324,700 | $183,650 |