Here's a look at 7 homes you could buy with USDA rural development**

1. A South Haven Michigan home near Lake Michigan. It's just a few miles from Blue Star Highway and very close to the big lake. South Haven falls under the rural development-eligible area!
2. Heidecke Lake Illinois is within the rules for RD. The nearby town of Morris has several homes for sale.
3. Love country music? You can't buy a home in Nashville Tennessee with rural development, but some nearby towns are eligible. Check out this home for sale in Pleasant View Tennessee. A great home not too far from the big city.
4. French Lick Indiana is known for its natural springs and French trading post history. There's also a casino there. And yes, it's RD-eligible. You could buy a home in French Lick and finance 100% of the purchase price.
5. How does a home near Lake Erie sound? Port Clinton Ohio falls under this mortgage option umbrella. With many communities nearby like Marblehead and Catawaba Island, it's definitely a place to consider.
6. U of M fan? Are you a Wolverine to the bone? You can't get a home in downtown Ann Arbor with USDA rural development, sorry. But you could find a zero down home in Saline nearby.
7. This home for sale in Athens Alabama could also qualify for an RD mortgage. Geographically, that's an eligible neighborhood!

You can check the USDA rural development neighborhood eligibity here. 

Agaon, rural development  allows a home buyer to borrow 100% of the appraised value of an eligible home to buy it. Of course this means you don't need to have a down payment. The main requirement is that the property needs to fall within certain geographical areas, outside the city limits of major metropolitan centers.

No, this doesn't mean you have to live "way out in the sticks." Yes that's an option, but not necessary. Many areas that fall under the Rural Development umbrella are actually more suburban than you'd expect. Small towns and villages often fall into this category.

Here's the fancy explanation from our brainy folks: Under the Guaranteed Loan program, USDA Rural Development guarantees loans made by private sector lenders like AmeriFirst Home Mortgage. A loan guaranteed through RD means that, should the individual borrower default on the loan, RD will pay the private financier for the loan. You work with AmeriFirst and make your payments to us.

Learn more with the USDA rural development fact sheet at the button below.

*no down payment does not include closing costs such as escrow funds

**this is meant to be used as an example of homes that would likely meet eligibily requirements for USDA rural development - this is not a guarantee that the home would qualify

***links are not meant to be endorsements of any business and do not mean that business endorses us - we're merely offering examples of these homes

(creative commons photo credit)