PITFALLS OF BUYING A USDA LOW INCOME HOME by N.A.Vincent

Things to look out for:
     I will be shortly adding information about our "Home buying" experience soon to my blog. This is a program offered for low-income singles or families who want their own place. It does take some money upfront, and despite the laws of  "full disclosure" you can be cheated on every side if you get in a hurry to buy a place. You can end up in a neighborhood you don't want in a house you don't like, such as I did. Your mortgage payment can change if the escrow amount comes up short of the yearly tax amount, for which, as a "home-owner", you are responsible. Problems which were supposed to be "fixed" before the loan approval, can be jerry-rigged so that you don't find out until weeks later that you're stuck with something which is on the brink of collapse, broken, or doesn't work properly.
      My first advice: DON'T BUY A HOME IN SUMMER.
                           Our back yard IS A SWAMP in the WINTERTIME.
                           One half of the wall furnace DOESN'T WORK.
                            The Light fixture on the ceiling was TAKEN DOWN instead of replaced to
                                     pass inspection: The reason I turned down a "new carpet" was because
                                     I knew the proper installment of the fixture would run at least the price of
                                     a new carpet, and a new carpet with all my pets wasn't a priority. The
                                      light fixture was.
                             The handicap bars were taken off the tub; It's one of the reasons I agreed to buy
                                     the house. My 90+ Mom needs them to get in and out of the tub.
                              Never let anyone else influence your decision: In other words, don't use friends or
                                      family to help you find a house, because you might be encouraged not to
                                      make waves just to please a son or daughter, whose friend is helping you.
                              Never let the realtor PRESSURE YOU into buying
                                      RIGHT THIS MOMENT because 'THE   PRICE
                                       JUST DROPPED" or some other "reason". Places
                                       don't just sell that fast.
                             DON'T be pressured into buying the THIRD HOUSE
                                        you see. FIND ONE YOU REALLY WANT 
                                        TO CALL HOME.

More next time. Now, On to THE DUDE RANCH MURDERS.