Yes, you have a real shot, and USDA is built for situations like yours. USDA is a zero-down program, and it does not require cash reserves to qualify. So the savings that medical bills drained are not the barrier they would be on other loans. A documented, health-related gap in work followed by steady, reestablished employment is generally workable too, especially when the story is clean and you are clearly back on your feet. Qualifying turns on a few other boxes: - Credit and debt-to-income. Your credit has to meet USDA's requirements, and the ratios have to work once the new payment is added. - Price point. $70,000 has to carry the payment on homes in your target area. - Location. The property must sit in a USDA-eligible area. Check the USDA eligibility map before you fall in love with a house. - Household income limit. USDA caps adjusted household income at 115% of the area median, and the count includes every adult in the home, not just the borrowers on the loan. Limits vary by county and change over time, so confirm the current figure for your area. The cleanest way to see where you stand on all of these at once is the free Roadmap conversation, about 20 minutes, where we run your real numbers instead of guessing.