USDA can be a genuinely useful program, and the fit depends on your situation and the property far more than the calendar. USDA allows 100% financing on eligible properties in designated rural areas, so no down payment is required, and USDA does not require cash reserves to qualify. If the home appraises above the purchase price, that gap can be used to finance eligible closing costs into the loan, up to the appraised value, so a buyer can get in with very little cash. The tradeoff of zero down is that you start with little to no equity cushion. If values dip, you are more exposed to being underwater for a while, and that risk is highest if you may need to sell soon. The counterweight is time. Buyers who use low- or no-down programs for sound personal reasons and then hold the home for the long term have historically built substantial equity, because they bought for the right reasons and stayed put. Nobody can promise where prices go, so the plan matters more than the entry point. In California specifically, USDA-eligible areas are few and tend to sit far from job centers, so confirm you could realistically live, commute, or work remotely from one. And a lower price tag in a given area deserves scrutiny on its own. Work with an agent who knows that area's schools and safety, and understand why prices are lower there before you buy. We are glad to walk through whether USDA fits your plan on the free Roadmap conversation (about 20 minutes) where we run your real numbers.