Before we talk about FHA in Middleburg or Green Cove Springs, there is a question worth asking first: does the address qualify for USDA? A meaningful share of western and southern Clay County does, and USDA means no down payment at all. We check that before recommending a program, because if USDA fits, it usually beats FHA outright.

North Star Mortgage Network has been financing homes in this part of Clay County since 2000. That check costs you nothing and takes a minute.

USDA First, FHA Second

USDA Rural Development financing offers 100% financing with no down payment, and its monthly guarantee fee is lower than FHA's annual mortgage insurance premium. There are income limits by household size and the property must sit inside an eligible boundary — but those boundaries include a great deal of the Middleburg and Green Cove Springs area, and people are consistently surprised by that.

If the address does not qualify, or your income exceeds the USDA limit, FHA is the next stop.

FHA in Clay County

3.5% down with a 580 score, or 10% down between 500 and 579. The 2026 one-unit limit is $580,750 — set at the metro level, so identical in Duval, Clay, St. Johns and Nassau.

Mortgage insurance: 1.75% upfront, usually financed, plus 0.55% annually, or 0.50% if you put 5% down. It remains for the life of the loan unless you put 10% down, in which case it ends at 11 years. Conventional PMI cancels at 20% equity off the original purchase price — worth comparing if your credit supports it.

Two Things That Come Up Here

Manufactured and modular homes. There is real manufactured housing stock in this part of Clay County, and financing it is a different conversation — the home must be on a permanent foundation, titled as real property, and meet HUD standards, and many lenders will not touch it at all. We finance manufactured homes and we know which wholesale lenders do it well.

Well and septic. Plenty of properties out here are not on municipal water and sewer. FHA and USDA both require water quality testing and minimum distance separations between the well and the septic system. It is routine, but it needs to be scheduled early — discovering a separation problem two weeks before closing is a genuine deal risk, and it is avoidable.

Check today's rates, read our FHA guide or USDA guide, or see our pages for Middleburg, Green Cove Springs and St. Johns County.

Questions from Middleburg and Green Cove Springs Buyers

Does Middleburg qualify for USDA zero-down financing?

Much of the area does, though eligibility is set address by address rather than by town. USDA offers 100% financing with no down payment and a lower monthly fee than FHA mortgage insurance. Send us the address and we will confirm at no cost before you choose a program.

Can I finance a manufactured home with FHA here?

Yes, if it is on a permanent foundation, titled as real property, and meets HUD standards. Many lenders decline manufactured housing entirely, so the choice of wholesale lender matters more on these files than on almost any other type.

The property has a well and septic. Does that complicate an FHA loan?

It adds steps rather than problems. FHA and USDA both require water quality testing and minimum distance separations between the well and septic system. Schedule it early — separation issues found late are a real closing risk and an avoidable one.

What is the FHA loan limit in Clay County?

$580,750 for a one-unit home in 2026, identical to Duval, St. Johns and Nassau because FHA sets limits across the Jacksonville metro rather than county by county.

All figures are estimates based on information provided and are not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval. North Star Mortgage Network, Inc., Company NMLS #356789 · Nathan Young NMLS #325206 · 12058 San Jose Blvd, Suite 404, Jacksonville, FL 32223 · 904-880-6741. Equal Housing Lender.