Publisher information
Editorial Standards
Our editorial standard is simple: make complicated program information useful without making a decision that belongs to USDA or an approved lender.
Source hierarchy
- Current USDA Rural Development regulations, handbooks, notices, datasets, eligibility tools, and official program pages.
- Other federal, state, or local government sources when they supply relevant public data.
- Qualified secondary sources for context, never as a substitute for controlling program guidance.
Writing and review
Dylan Vigliotti writes and reviews publisher-created content. Material program claims should be traceable to a source, scoped to the correct program—Guaranteed or Direct when relevant—and dated when they may change. We use plain-language summaries, but the linked primary source controls if a summary and official guidance differ.
What we will not do
- Present a checker result as an official eligibility determination.
- Promise approval, rates, closing dates, savings, or a particular outcome.
- Invent expertise, firsthand testing, customer experiences, or endorsements.
- Allow payment or a commercial relationship to purchase favorable editorial coverage.
- Quietly preserve a material error after it is confirmed.
Updates and dates
Pages may show a published or reviewed date. A reviewed date means the material claims were checked as of that date; it does not promise that every linked page or boundary remained unchanged afterward. Volatile items—such as maps, income limits, fees, rates, and administrative procedures—require confirmation with the current official source.
AI and automation
Software or AI-assisted workflows may help organize drafts, data, or quality checks. Publisher responsibility remains with USDA.properties: factual claims must be reviewed, source links checked, and content edited before publication. Automation is not treated as an authority.
Commercial independence
The Playbook is a paid product. That commercial interest is disclosed where it is promoted. USDA.properties currently does not accept lender or real-estate-agent referral fees; see the referral policy.