VALoans.com belongs to the Mortgage Research Center, LLC, ("MRC") Network. MRC is a private company that provides mortgage information and connects homebuyers with lenders. Neither VALoans.com nor MRC are endorsed by, sponsored by or affiliated with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any other government agency. MRC receives compensation for providing marketing services to a select group of companies involved in helping consumers find, buy or refinance homes. If you submit your information on this site, one or more of these companies will contact you with additional information regarding your request. For a full list of these companies click here. By submitting your information you agree MRC can provide your information to one of these companies, who will then contact you. MRC does not guarantee that you will be eligible for a loan through the VA loan program. VALoans.com will not charge, seek or accept fees of any kind from you. VALoans.com does not offer mortgage products and if you are connected to a lender through VALoans.com, specific terms and conditions from that lender will apply.
Financing with a VA loan covers more property types than homes and condominiums. Qualified veterans and service members can use a VA loan to purchase a property that has up to four one-family units.
The occupancy requirements for these types of properties are the same as with single-family units, and a borrower must certify their intent to live in one of the units as the primary residence.
Minimum property requirements (MPRs) for multi-unit VA loan purchases are different because the property has more living spaces to examine. The VA MPRs change for buildings with more than one unit simply because there’s more housing.
Each individual unit on the property must be private and accessible. There are exceptions to this rule, mostly related to setting up utilities and ensuring access to them for maintenance and repairs.
Although the VA lender’s guide states that every living unit must have independent utility services, shared water, sewer, gas and electricity lines, and water connections are permitted, so long as:
Some shared spaces on the property are permitted. The building can have a common facility for laundry or storage. Heating equipment for all units can be co-located in a single space. But when it comes to the individual privacy of each unit, VA rules require separate and self-contained spaces for each living space.
Use Your VA Loan for Multi-Unit Purchase
Don’t wait to see if you meet the requirements. Find the right VA Lender to guide you home. →Purchasing a multi-unit property with a VA loan may sound appealing to borrowers who see it as a means to increasing their income by renting the other units. However, lenders won’t blindly count potential income from tenants’ rent when calculating DTI and other qualifying and affordability ratios.
Lenders will often have standards for borrowers who want to include income from rent when applying for their VA loan. You might need a documented history as a landlord. Purchasing multi-unit properties can also come with cash reserve requirements from lenders. Even trying to use the incoming rental income to offset other costs and fees might not be doable.
Guidelines and requirements can and will differ. Talk with individual lenders about your goals and what they require in order for you to pursue a multi-unit purchase using your VA loan.