| Making repairs to your house can be very expensive | | | | but can help to save a great deal of money for the |
| for any homeowner. However, there are federal | | | | home owner. |
| programs offered by the government that can help to | | | | These loans are aimed primarily at rural areas with |
| defray some of the costs. An excellent place to start | | | | populations lower than 10,000 citizens. This can at |
| is with Section 504 loans and grants program | | | | times be expanded to include areas with populations |
| administered through the US Department of Agriculture | | | | up to 25,000. However, these areas can't be included |
| Office of Rural Development. This program offers | | | | in any Metropolitan statistical zones. |
| grants and loans to people in the low income brackets. | | | | Grants are always the preferred way to go since |
| This program was first authorized as part of the | | | | they don't need to be repaid to the government. In |
| Housing Act of 1949. Their primary goal is to remove | | | | order to qualify for a grant the home owner must be |
| any health or safety issues in a person's home. The | | | | over the age of 62 and lacks the capacity to be able |
| funds can also be used for several types of general | | | | to repay the loan. These grants can go as high as |
| home improvement. This can include remodeling | | | | $7,500 per household. This can go a long ways in |
| project that will make a house handicap accessible, | | | | helping to modernize a house. |
| removal of other safety hazards, or just generally | | | | The loans offered by the Dept. of Agriculture can |
| modernizing a home to help bring it up to current | | | | range up to $20,000 per household. They also offer |
| standing with local zoning laws. | | | | extremely generous interest with only 1% for a |
| These loans are usually used for improving heating, | | | | 20-year-term loan. This makes it an extremely |
| electric or plumbing issues in a property. As the need | | | | attractive loan for most people. It's highly unlikely that |
| for energy conservation continues to grow in the US, | | | | anyone could find such a good deal from their local |
| they have begun putting special emphasis on any | | | | banks. |
| project that helps to make properties energy efficient. | | | | Anyone interested in any of the grants or loans |
| As a result they tend to focus many of their loans on | | | | offered by the Department of Agriculture can visit their |
| low-income properties that need additional | | | | website for more information. The site offers maps |
| weatherization for the winter. When used in this | | | | and income calculators the home owners determine if |
| manner a loan can not only help to improve a property, | | | | they qualify for these programs. |