News 12 at 6 O'Clock, March 19, 2010

An Augusta home for sale is one of 43 in Richmond County owned by Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. It's listed for 40,000 dollars. And this one is just 77,000 dollars. There are HUD homes available just about everywhere. There are 22 in Columbia County, a few more in Burke County. In South Carolina, there are some in Aiken county, too.

"Starting as low as 28,000 dollars and going up over 200,000," said Keller Williams realtor Brenda Everett.

And they're on the minds of realtors, who let people know about the process. You can bid on the homes if you're planning to live there.

And for teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs -- more help is available. The Good Neighbor Program allows them to qualify for 50 percent off the price of the home.

"It is a way for the foreclosure market to be absorbed in the neighborhood, and also to provide a significant savings to our public servants," said Everett.

There are eligibility requirements for the FHA loan, but Everett says it's similar to the requirements of other loans. Some can get a down payment for as little as 100 dollars. You can also get some of the closing costs forgiven.

Go to HUD.gov for more information. You can also visit bidselect.com to see homes available in Georgia, or http://hud3.towerauction.net/SC.htm for homes available in South Carolina.