What I am looking for......

A little bit of background on what I HAVE to have..........

I need a minimum of 2 bedrooms, 3 would be best
I would like a fireplace but it's not a must
I would like a 1.5 story or 2 story home
I hope for at least 1100 sq ft
I want a good school system (I will have a schoolage kiddo for a while)
I like bungalows. And Victorians. And old houses in general
I don't like ranch style homes, or trailers.
I like hardwood floors
I don't mind an 'ugly' house, as long as it is structurally sound, it can always be made pretty.
Jason wants land, but I could take it or leave it as long as its got enough yard for the kids to play in.

Thanks to Sheila Dees at Vested Mortgage and Chase bank, I have been approved for a USDA rural home loan. This type of loan seems to be a bit more complex than traditional loans because of all the requirements needed. My approximate price range is $30,ooo give or take a few thousand. But of course cheaper is better. Who doesn't like saving money.....The only drawbacks to this form of loan is that it only applies to certain counties. I think they have to be considered disadvantaged. Anyway, I want to be as close to St. Louis as possible, and still get a GREAT home. But to further complicate things, different counties have different stipulations for the loan concerning if I qualify or if the house qualifies. I have to make no more than 115% of the average income for the area. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard, since I am not really super rich. But some of these counties are out for me because I make more than $25,000 per year (the counties median income). And the house has to be priced at a certain amount or below (it varies per county). The house must qualify too. The house must be considered 'modest' in size and design. And it must pass a government inspection that will assure it is 'safe, sound, sanitary, and secure'. Although different inspectors will apparently let different things pass, it pretty much boils down to this......The house cant be majorly messed up. It has to be structurally sound, with a decent roof, plumbing, and wiring. It can be a 'ugly' as you could imagine, as long as the basics are good. So Cat Piss soaked carpet is okay, but a leaky toilet is not. How that covers the 'sanitary' part I couldn't tell you.....But who am I to argue.

In theory, I think that the inspections guidelines are a good thing. But it sure makes finding a house that qualifies hard, since it has to be priced at or below a certain price.