Searching for a home for sale from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)? Check out the Web site at www.HUDHOMESTORE.com.

As of this writing, only eight HUD properties are available in Mesa County.

Prospective homebuyers can sign up to receive e-mail alerts about selected properties. Smartphone applications are available from www.HUDSTORE.com. It’s possible to filter search results for HUD homes by location, price and size.

If you find a house in which you’re interested that needs repairs or upgrades, check into a 203K rehabilitation loan from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

To place an offer on a HUD home, a homebuyer must use a HUD-registered selling broker to enter the bid. Licensed real estate brokers must be present at all showings and inspections.

Purchasers must agree to inhabit a HUD home as a primary residence to place a bid during the first 15 days of the property being placed for sale. After 15 days, though, investors also are allowed to bid.

Ben Hill, owner of Hill & Homes in Grand Junction, submitted this article. For more information, call 250-5002 or visit the Web site at www.benhill.com.