USDA Occupancy & Borrower Eligibility
USDA Guaranteed is a primary-residence program for eligible individual applicants—not a general investment-property loan.
Primary residence
Applicants must agree to personally occupy the dwelling as their principal residence. Current handbook guidance generally requires bona fide occupancy within 60 days after signing the security instruments.
Eligible applicant status
USDA's public program page identifies U.S. Citizens, U.S. non-citizen nationals and Qualified Aliens as eligible applicant categories, subject to current program definitions.
Active-duty military
The handbook includes special occupancy treatment when an active-duty service member cannot physically occupy the home but the family continues to use it as the principal residence and the applicable requirements are satisfied.
Individuals—not business entities
Current handbook language states the applicant is an individual, not a trust, corporation or partnership.
Official USDA baseline
USDA Guaranteed Loan Program · HB-1-3555 Technical Handbook
USDA rules and income/property eligibility can change. The current USDA eligibility site, handbook, GUS result and approved lender requirements control the actual transaction.