I did the USDA Direct. It was the only way for me to get a house. The process was a little long, but it was worth it. My local agent made it easy and walked me through each step. I recommend it. The loan covered all my closing costs, the inspection and some needed repairs. My out of pocket money was the earnest money ($500) and the first year of insurance ($680 in my case). The purchase price was about $160,000 and my payment will be just over $800 including taxes and insurance.
