In this article
Key Takeaways:
- Cartersville combines convenient access to all the amenities of Atlanta with the calmer pace and community feel of a small town set in the Appalachian foothills.
- Cartersville offers schools recognized for their excellence, competitive sports in abundance, endless active outdoor recreation, and numerous museums, including two affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.
- Available homes include historic houses on tree-lined streets, waterfront estates, rural homesteads, and planned communities with the latest home designs and neighborhood amenities.
- Moreira Team members can help homebuyers in this area secure USDA home loan programs that offer attractive interest rates and no-down-payment options. With this mortgage calculator, Georgia buyers can compare and calculate potential financing packages. Mortgage pre-approval can also be an advantage.
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or an experienced one looking for a new lifestyle, Cartersville, Georgia, should be on your list of communities to consider. The area’s eligibility for USDA home purchase loans and home improvement loans can offer unusually attractive mortgage rates in Georgia, which can make relocating to Cartersville all the more a decision that satisfies both the head and the heart.
Learning & Lifestyle
Set in the gorgeous Appalachian foothills, Cartersville is just 45 minutes from Atlanta, putting its big-city nightlife, sports, dining, and the world’s busiest airport within easy reach. At the same time, the town of 23,000 is far enough away to offer its own mix of suburban amenities, small town vibe, and rural tranquility.
Cartersville’s education offerings are first-rate. Bartow County Schools offer 20 campuses accredited by the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Cartersville City School System is one of the few all-charter districts in the state, with each of its four schools recognized as a Georgia School of Excellence, and the county is home to three private schools. Chattahoochee Technical College is Georgia’s largest technical institution, and Georgia Highlands College also offers a variety of career and continuing education programs.
Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center’s 139-bed acute-care hospital and 30-bed emergency department serve regional patients from across several counties of North Georgia. A 20-bed specialized inpatient care unit for orthopedic and neurologic conditions is part of the campus, as are accredited chest pain, stroke, and diabetes care centers. The Hope Center is a regional care facility approved by the Commission on Cancer.
Cartersville is also a good place to make a living. In addition to its healthcare and education employers, the local economy is anchored by international brewer Anheuser Busch, heavy equipment maker Komatsu, tire manufacturer Toyo, flooring manufacturer Shaw Industries, and Georgia Power’s nearby Bowen Steam Plant.
The area can be especially attractive for young professionals whose work can be done online, says one Cartersville real estate agent: “People are working more from home now. People who once needed to live in Atlanta for work don’t have to commute to the office anymore.”
The Moreira Team offers a mortgage calculator Georgia residents or prospects can use to find rates and terms that fit their desires and incomes.
A Recreational Paradise
Fun is never far away in Cartersville.
City parks offer youth and adult competitive programs and/or free play in baseball, basketball, dance, disc golf, football, gymnastics, pickleball, soccer, softball, and tennis, as well as several swimming pools and walking trails. Lakepoint Sports hosts year-round travel athletics and sports camps programs on its 1,300-acre campus. Three 18-hole and one nine-hole golf courses in Bartow County serve golfers year-round.
Pine Mountain features trails that climb more than 600 feet in elevation, with views of Atlanta and other distant points available from the summit. Nearby Allatoona Lake draws visitors for hiking, fishing, boating, camping, and swimming. Red Top Lake State Park is home to lakeview cabins, 15 miles of hiking trails, and a reconstructed 1860s homestead. Some 11,000 acres of public lands in Bartow County offer bountiful outdoor opportunities.
More than a dozen museums and historic sites grace the area, from the Savoy Auto Museum and Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site to two Smithsonian Institution affiliates, Booth Western Art Museum and the Tellus Science Museum.
USDA Help for Homebuyers
Prospective homebuyers considering Cartersville can utilize conventional mortgage lenders and federal mortgage programs such as those offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Federal Housing Administration. For a comparison of rates, try this mortgage calculator Georgia homebuyers have used by the thousands.
The Cartersville area is also open for home purchase loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These loans are issued by many lenders but are guaranteed by USDA. Such loans may finance up to 100 percent of a property’s purchase price and are only available in specifically defined rural and suburban areas.
To qualify, “Generally you need at least a 640 credit score, low to moderate income, and a debt-to-income ratio of 45 percent or less,” said Alvaro Moreira, founder of Moreira Team, an Atlanta-based boutique mortgage firm whose team members shop nearly two dozen lenders to find the best terms and rates for their homebuyer customers.
USDA loans offer these advantages:
- 100-percent financing (no down payment), meaning buyers can qualify without a sizable nest egg.
- Lower monthly mortgage payment due to lower interest rates.
- Flexibility that can help people qualify who have imperfect credit histories.
- Mortgage eligibility requirements designed to accommodate low- to moderate-income households.
- USDA loans do not require private mortgage insurance, which means less cost to homebuyers.
- USDA loans are intended for rural and suburban areas.
- Payments can be extended over 30-year terms, reducing each monthly payment over shorter terms.
- Meeting eligibility criteria and working with an approved lender usually mean your loan will be approved.
If conventional financing is a better option, Moreira Team offers this mortgage calculator Georgia residents and prospects can use to start that process as well.
Why Buy Now in Cartersville?
Cartersville is an easy choice for anyone wanting the slower pace of a small but vibrant town while still having convenient access to Atlanta’s big-city amenities. While considerably more affordable than similar properties in or near the 285 Perimeter, the strength of Cartersville’s real estate market also makes it an attractive place to own a home: The city grew by 17.5 percent from 2010 to 2020, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates it grew another 7.7 percent in just over three years following the 2020 count.
The real estate agent previously quoted says homebuyers moving away from Atlanta will likely keep the Cartersville real estate market strong for years to come: “We have more attractive home prices than the city and more to offer in enjoyable lifestyles.”
In addition to its educational, recreational, healthcare, and other lifestyle advantages, the seat of Bartow County also offers homebuyers a variety of home and property options to choose from. Neighborhood styles range from historic homes on tree-lined streets to expansive lakeview estates to planned communities with the latest designs and amenities.
With the Moreira Team’s mortgage calculator, Georgia buyers looking at Cartersville can quickly find what rates and terms best fit them.
How to apply for a USDA loan in Cartersville
Once you’ve picked a home you might want in Cartersville, it only makes sense to see if a low-cost USDA mortgage is available to help you either save money or buy more house than a conventionally generated loan would afford.
Eligibility requirements:
- Household income. Bartow County is counted as part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), and Atlanta MSA homebuyers are allowed higher income limits to qualify for USDA loan programs than in many smaller MSAs. Your household income can be compared to the limits published here (page 49 of 334).
- Rural location. Prospective property must be in an eligible rural area to qualify for USDA financing. Any particular address’s eligibility can be checked here.
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. USDA financing is available only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
- Credit score. Lenders generally look for a credit score of 640 or higher, although there is no mandated cutoff score.
- Stable employment and income. A consistent source of income will be important as lenders gauge your repayment ability for a home loan.
- Debt-to-income ratio. Lenders typically are not comfortable lending amounts that will require more than 41 to 45 percent of your income to satisfy.
- Overall repayment ability. Lenders will consider your income, your expenses, and your other debts in gauging your ability to repay a mortgage.
If you’re looking to buy a home in a charming town with no down payment, the Moreira Team stands ready to help you explore USDA loan possibilities and other loan options. With this mortgage calculator Georgia rates and terms for conventional and USDA loans are easy to explore.