USDA Home Loan Eligibility Map

USDA Loans are only allowed in what is determined as eligible "rural" areas. The best way to determine if a property is eligible is to use the USDA Elgibility Map. People often ask if they can get a list of the eligible areas. It's a reasonable request since one would assume  there is a comprehensive list of the cities or towns that a USDA Loan can be used in. At one point in time this was the case, however, eligible areas can now be searched on the USDA website.

Searching for eligible areas is a simple process. Once on the site, just select single family housing on the left side of the page. You will then need to accept the Property Eligibility Disclaimer. At this point, the property address needs to be entered and the map will show if the property is eligible or not. It will also show the area around the property and where the USDA boundaries are. The zoom feature on the map can be used to get better idea of a larger area's eligibility.

Many people actually use the map prior to finding a home so they can find an area that qualifies and then search for homes in that area. The map is a great tool that is available for free and it makes the search process very easy.