REALTOR LISTING TOOLKIT
Know before you list. What FHA, VA, and USDA actually require of a property, and what they do not.
Most government-loan surprises are found on the walk-through, not at the closing table. This field guide shows listing agents the conditions an underwriter looks for, so a deal does not stall over something that could have been handled before listing.
158-point guide covering FHA, VA and USDA Rural Development.
The practical question is whether the property is safe, sanitary, structurally sound, legally usable, adequately served by utilities and access, and acceptable collateral. Worn carpet and dated cabinets are not the test. An unsafe stair, an inactive utility, or an unpermitted conversion is.
Run this before you advertise a listing as FHA, VA or USDA eligible. Any one of these is worth a phone call first.
| Issue | FHA | VA | USDA Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical occupancy | Primary residence | Primary residence | Primary residence |
| Units | 1 to 4 | 1 to 4 | Generally 1 dwelling |
| Location test | No rural-area test | No rural-area test | USDA-eligible rural area |
| Condition lens | MPR and MPS: health, safety, security | Safe, sanitary, sound. VA MPR | Adequate, safe, sanitary. Generally the HUD and FHA baseline |
| Condo | FHA approval or eligible single-unit approval | VA-approved project | Agency or lender eligibility review |
| Repair completion | Normally before closing unless a permitted escrow or rehab structure applies | Normally before closing. Limited lender and VA options | Limited repair escrow may be available if habitable and the lender approves |
Every one of these gets repeated on listing calls. None of them is a national rule.
| Myth | More accurate guidance |
|---|---|
| Every FHA or VA home needs a home inspection. | The appraisal is not a home inspection. Buyers are encouraged to obtain one. Extra inspections are condition, local or lender driven. |
| Any roof over a certain age fails. | There is no single national pass or fail age. Condition, leakage, remaining usefulness, value and insurability matter. |
| Every stair needs a handrail. | Observable safety and applicable local rules control. Not every short set of steps creates an automatic national agency repair. |
| Every older outlet must become GFCI. | Actual hazards and local requirements matter. A government appraisal is not a universal current-code retrofit. |
| A septic inspection is always required. | Requirements vary by program, observable condition, local or state law, and lender. USDA requires an evaluation but may accept appraiser certification for an existing dwelling. |
| A termite report is always required for VA or USDA. | VA local requirements and state or condition rules control. USDA requires it when the lender, appraiser, inspector or state law requires it. |
| FHA means the seller must fix everything. | Only eligibility-related conditions and lender or appraiser requirements must be resolved. Cosmetic wear alone is not the test. |
| Disclosing a defect makes it acceptable. | Disclosure addresses information duties. It does not cure a collateral, health, safety, title or eligibility problem. |
THE FULL FIELD GUIDE
158 checkpoints across ten sections: the universal walk-through, program-specific lists for FHA, VA and USDA, specialty properties from condominiums to private wells, and an appraisal-day clearance plan. Built to print and carry to a listing appointment.
Policy reference date: August 25, 2026.
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Got a property that does not fit the checklist? That is the call worth making before you list.
Producing Branch Manager
NMLS #938187
260.338.4440
bennettteam@vipmtginc.com
Sr. Loan Officer
NMLS #277435
260.750.5333
michelles@vipmtginc.com
Producing Branch Manager
NMLS #119765
317.590.5599
martino@vipmtginc.com
Fort Wayne, Indiana. V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc.
V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. does Business in Accordance with Federal Fair Lending Laws. NMLS ID 145502. AZ: Mortgage Banker License No. BK-0909074. V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. is not acting on behalf of or at the direction of the FHA/HUD or the Federal Government. This product or service has not been approved or endorsed by any governmental agency, and this offer is not being made by any agency of the government. V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. is approved to participate in FHA programs but the products and services performed by V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. are not coming directly from HUD or FHA. Information, rates, and programs are subject to change without notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Not all products are available in all states or for all loan amounts. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. See our Privacy Policy.
This is a screening and transaction-planning tool. It is not an appraisal, home inspection, title opinion, code inspection, or guarantee of loan approval. The appraiser identifies observable conditions. The lender or underwriter makes the final eligibility and repair decision. State law, local code, VA local requirements, and lender overlays may add requirements.
Policy reference date: August 25, 2026. Agency guidance changes. Confirm unusual properties with the buyer’s lender before promising eligibility.
V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. NMLS #145502
Equal Housing Lender