The USDA Rural Development Agency has announced the availability of stimulus money to be used to fund loans to rural Americans for home purchases, improvements or refinancing. Income and location guidelines must be met.

Loans may be made up to 100 percent of the home's appraised market value, plus closing costs. Payments include taxes and

insurance and may be subsidized based on the household income. Median income guidelines must be met in accordance with the number of persons in the household and the county of the property.

Rural areas include communities of 20,000 people or less. Locations may not be associated with urban areas.

For more specific information and application forms from the RDA, qualified residents of Jasper, Barton, Dade, and Lawrence counties should contact the Carthage office at 416 E. Airport Drive (417-358-8198); residents of Newton, McDonald, Barry, and Stone counties should contact the Neosho office at 1900 South Highway 71 (417-451-1007).

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