FHA doesn't give out loans directly. They just insure loans; you need to obtain an FHA mortgage through a bank. I don't really think it makes a difference whether you apply directly through a bank or a broker, it's the loan officer that you work with that makes a difference. Maybe some other people can chime in with their experiences, but when I went directly to a bank, I found them to have higher rates and be a little less organized. I like having a broker take care of a lot of the work for me.
The direct and guaranteed loans you mention are under the USDA program and are different than FHA loans. I don't know about these because they're only for rural areas and I live in NYC but I'm sure someone else could help you out!
