Fannie Mae has begun purchasing rural housing loans with a Department of Agriculture/Rural Development guarantee. The government-sponsored enterprise accepted delivery of Section 502 (RD-502) loans from USDA-approved lenders on Nov. 3 – an open challenge to Ginnie Mae, which has dominated the market. The loans were delivered as standard products with no variance required. Other government-backed loans such as FHA and VA continue to require a negotiated variance. The Section 502 single-family guaranteed housing loan program provides financing to low- to moderate-income rural homebuyers. A community is eligible for 30-year fixed-rate RD-502 loans if it is located in an area that meets the USDA’s definition of “rural.” The Farm Bill, signed into law in February of this year, defines “rural” as any area outside of city limits with a ...