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Colorado Resident Achieves Homeownership Dream Twice with Support From USDA

Posted by Amy Mund, Colorado USDA Public Information Coordinator in Rural
Jan 29, 2013
Colorado native and local business owner Bruce Longwell at his Durango, CO home on July 17, 2012. Mr. Longwell financed the single-family house with a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Housing Assistance loan. This provided lower monthly payments than his prior rental home. Homeownership provides potential gains through home equity. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
Colorado native and local business owner Bruce Longwell at his Durango, CO home on July 17, 2012. Mr. Longwell financed the single-family house with a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Housing Assistance loan. This provided lower monthly payments than his prior rental home. Homeownership provides potential gains through home equity. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.

Homeownership became a reality twice for Bruce Longwell, thanks to USDA Rural Development.  Twice has Longwell been able to purchase a home through the USDA Direct Home Loan Program.

Longwell, a local business owner, first bought a home through the former Farmers Home Administration in 1993 and then again in 2012 through its successor agency, USDA Rural Development.  The oddity in this process is that both homes were purchased with the assistance of the same realtor and both have the same floor plan.

Longwell put in an offer on his home in Durango, Colorado and six weeks later moved in with his son on July 4th.  There is nothing more patriotic than homeownership and he is still busy putting on the finished look and adding his own touches to the three bedroom home.  The house is not only functional for Longwell but is utilitarian as it has a garage workshop.

Longwell had previously rented for five years and is very content to be in his new home.  “I am working for myself in my own home and thank God every day to be able to do so,” said Longwell.  With his tropical fish business firmly established in the community for over 20 years, Longwell is not going anywhere.    The home is just the right size and manageable for him.

He hopes to remain in this house for thirty years and is already trying to figure out how to pay the loan off early.

USDA offers several home loan programs.  To find out which one can help you achieve your homeownership goal, click here. To hear Bruce Longwell’s story and see the home, click here.

Category/Topic: Rural