As we live near a  military base, a lot of the mortgage loans that are used here are VA loans.  Another very popular loan is the USDA loan.  USDA loans are popular because they are no down payment loans.  The USDA loan was set up to assist homebuyers in rural areas.  Most of Fayetteville, NC is not eligible for a USDA loan. Currently Hope Mills is a favorite destination for home buyers  to qualify for USDA loans (along with Hoke County).  As of Oct. 1, 2013, that will change.  Hope Mills growth has finally caught up with them and on the first of Oct, most of Hope Mills will become ineligible.  You can go online and research the location of any houses that you might be interested in buying before you consider buying them if you plan to finance with USDA.  Your real estate agent should be aware of this change and should be able to advise you.  It will be a big change for this area.  Make sure you do your homework and get a knowledgeable real estate agent and mortgage lender.