William Raveis Real Estate
John Mahan, William Raveis Real EstatePhone: (508) 331-8339
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What are rural housing loans? A basic guide

by John Mahan 10/22/2023

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If you’re interested in your financing options for buying or building a home outside a major urban area, you might want to consider the various rural housing loans offered by the United States government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an official government organization offering various loans to support communities in rural areas.

Here is some more of the basic information about rural housing loan opportunities:

Section 502 direct loans

One of the simplest types of loan assistance offered by the USDA is called a Single-Family Housing Direct Loan Program, or Section 502 loan. With these loans, the government lends the money directly to the homebuyer to buy, repair or build a new home in a qualified rural area.

Section 502 loans don’t require down payments, don’t require mortgage insurance, and typically have low, fixed interest rates. Payment assistance options can even lower interest rates even further.

USDA housing repair loans

Another option for rural housing is through the Section 504 Home Repair loan program. The USDA offers these loans to help potential homeowners bring home codes up to current standards, make necessary repairs, and address any safety or health issues with a property.

Determining your eligibility

How do you know if you’re eligible for a rural housing service home loan? There are some key factors determining eligibility, such as:

  • The location of the home you want to purchase or repair has to be in a low-population area.
  • An applicant’s household income must be below a certain threshold.
  • The applicant needs to show proof of credit history, though the minimum credit score is much lower than many other types of loan.
  • The property has to be used as a primary residence.

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Is a rural housing loan right for you? While these are just the basic facts about direct loans and other government-sponsored housing programs, this information can help you determine whether you might qualify.

About the Author
Author

John Mahan

I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.

Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.

Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.

John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.