BIKE: support for the 15 percent rule

[alan_drake]

One partial answer.  Years ago I was told by a real estate agent that circa mid-1950s, the VA no longer required sidewalks in neighborhoods as part of the minimum requirements for a loan (indoor plumbing still required).  Thus, some subdivisions had sidewalks in Phase I but not Phase II.

I also saw a early 1960s promo film for Jefferson Parish (Metairie, etc. outside New Orleans).  In it they claimed as one of the advantages that VA & FHA loans were available for new construction and "modern subdivisions", but not for "Orleans Parish fix it" homes.  I infer this to mean that any uncorrected fault in an older home would make it ineligible for gov't financing.

The existance of sidewalks in older neighborhoods meant nothing.  Just make sure that it had modern wiring & plumbing with a new roof.

Alan