Wintergreen · Central Virginia

Wintergreen Second-Home & Vacation-Rental Loans

Wintergreen is just over the Blue Ridge from my Crozet office, and it is one of the most common second-home questions I get: “Can we use it ourselves and rent it when we’re not there?” Often, yes. But at a resort community the details of the rental arrangement and the condo or HOA matter as much as your credit.

Talk through a Wintergreen purchase 434-443-6557

Start with the county

Wintergreen sits in Nelson County. Rental rules come from both Nelson County and the Wintergreen Property Owners Association (WPOA).

Second home or investment property?

If it’s mostly your family’s place with occasional renting, that’s usually a second home. Under Fannie Mae’s guidelines, a second home must be under your exclusive control, can’t be primarily operated as a rental and generally can’t use rental income to qualify. If renting is the main plan, lenders will treat it as an investment property.

Short-term rental rules

Wintergreen (Nelson County)

Nelson County requires zoning approval and a county business license to operate a short-term rental. Inside Wintergreen, the Wintergreen Property Owners Association has required owners who rent for less than 30 days to register with WPOA since January 1, 2023, give guests the community rules and provide a 24/7 contact. Nelson County is updating its zoning ordinance in 2026, so check the current rule.

Source: Nelson County: Short Term Rentals · WPOA: Rental Property Registration

Rules change. Each item links to the official source, summarized as of November 9, 2026. Always confirm the current rule for the specific parcel and any HOA before you write an offer.

Before you write an offer in Wintergreen

Ask for any resort, condo or management rental agreement up front. A program that controls your calendar can affect second-home eligibility.
Get the condo or HOA documents and budget early. Condo projects go through their own lender review.
Register with WPOA before renting for less than 30 days, and line up a 24/7 contact.
Confirm Nelson County zoning approval and business license requirements, which are being updated in 2026.
Budget for HOA and WPOA dues, mountain-property insurance and winter access.

Buying a primary home in Virginia? Andy is a Virginia Housing approved lender and offers Virginia Housing loans and grants plus our own lender-specific down payment assistance. Learn about down payment assistance or register to learn more.

What clients say

★★★★★
Vacation home
“We have purchased many homes and this was, by far, the best loan experience we had. We're thrilled with our new vacation home and highly recommend Andy and Novus.”
– Michael M., Google review

★★★★★
Moved from out of state
“We were moving from out of state and the difference in understanding Virginia housing markets and mortgages was dramatic… We would absolutely recommend Andy and Rebekah, if you are moving from out of state.”
– U. H., Google review

★★★★★
Repeat client, cross-country move
“This was our second home purchase with Andy and they delivered at every step of the way… Their collective expertise was a huge asset when navigating a cross country move.”
– Daniel S., Google review

★★★★★
Wintergreen
“Andy was very knowledgeable on the Wintergreen area, educated me on things to keep in mind, and communicated regularly throughout the process.”
– France C., Google review

Read all 298 reviews on Google. Individual results vary.

Wintergreen questions

Can I rent out a Wintergreen home or condo as a short-term rental?

Wintergreen owners who rent for less than 30 days must register with the Wintergreen Property Owners Association (required since January 1, 2023), give guests the community rules and provide a 24/7 contact, and Nelson County requires zoning approval and a county business license. Nelson County is updating its zoning ordinance in 2026, so verify the current rule before you buy.

Can a resort rental program affect my second-home loan?

It can. Fannie Mae says a second home must not be subject to any agreement that gives a management firm control over its occupancy. Hiring a cleaner or local manager is different from a rental program that controls your calendar, so share any resort or condo rental agreement with your loan officer early.

What is the difference between a second home and an investment property for a mortgage?

A second home is a one-unit home you personally use for part of the year and control yourself; an investment property is one you buy mainly to rent out. Lenders classify the loan by how you will actually use the property, not by how it is listed, and the classification affects how the loan is underwritten and priced.

Can I rent out my second home on Airbnb?

Occasionally, yes, under Fannie Mae's guidelines, as long as you still use the home yourself for part of the year, keep exclusive control of it, do not primarily operate it as a rental and do not rely on the rental income to qualify. If renting is the main plan, the property is usually financed as an investment property instead.

Can I use projected Airbnb income to qualify for a second-home mortgage?

Generally no. Fannie Mae allows a loan to be delivered as a second home when the lender identifies rental income only if that income is not used for qualifying purposes. If you need the rental income to afford the payment, talk to your loan officer about investment-property financing instead.

Looking at Wintergreen?

Tell me the town, the property and how you plan to use it. I’ll tell you how a lender is likely to classify it, which local rules to check and what to gather before you make an offer.

Start my conversation Call or text 434-443-6557