DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SECTION 502 GUARANTEED AND DIRECT LOAN PROGRAMS

There are several other Section 502 loan programs, but the only one that approaches the guaranteed program in number of loans made is the Homeownership Direct Loan Program

This program once accounted for almost all the Section 502 loans, but the number of guaranteed loans has greatly increased in the last few years. In Fiscal Year 2001, the guaranteed program obligated approximately $2.3
billion for 29,326 loans, while the direct program obligated approximately $1.07 billion for a total of 14,789 loans. The important differences between the Section 502 guaranteed and direct loan programs are as follows:

ƒ The lender for Section 502 guaranteed loans is a private savings and loan institution, bank, or mortgage company which also handles all the loan servicing. The lender for the direct program is the Rural Housing Service; Rural Development handles the servicing.

ƒ Income levels for Section 502 guaranteed borrowers are capped at 115 percent…