Residential Directory: Purpose and Scope

National Residential Authority maintains a structured reference directory of professionals, firms, and service providers operating across the United States residential real estate sector. This page describes the scope of listings included, the standards applied to directory entries, and the boundaries of what the directory covers. Accurate navigation of this resource depends on understanding how listings are classified and why specific categories are included or excluded.

How to use this resource

The Residential Listings section organizes service providers by professional category and function within the residential real estate transaction and ownership lifecycle. Entries are grouped into four primary functional categories:

1. Transaction professionals — licensed real estate agents, brokers, and buyer's agents operating under state-issued licenses governed by individual state real estate commissions (e.g., the California Department of Real Estate under California Business and Professions Code §10000 et seq., or the Texas Real Estate Commission under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1101).
2. Lending and finance professionals — mortgage loan originators registered under the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), as required by the federal Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (SAFE Act, 12 U.S.C. §5101 et seq.).
3. Property condition and compliance professionals — home inspectors, appraisers, and environmental assessors. Residential appraisers must hold a credential issued or recognized under standards set by the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation.
4. Residential property services — property managers, title and escrow companies, and HOA management firms operating under applicable state licensing requirements.

Researchers and service seekers can compare provider types within these categories or move between categories using the structured listings. The How to Use This Residential Resource page provides additional navigation detail for first-time users of the directory.

Standards for inclusion

Inclusion in the directory is based on verifiable licensure, registration, or recognized professional standing within the residential real estate sector. The following criteria define the inclusion threshold:

• Active licensure or registration: The listing entity must hold a current, active license or registration issued by a state regulatory body or a federal registration system (such as NMLS for mortgage originators). Expired, suspended, or revoked credentials are grounds for exclusion or removal.
• Residential sector scope: The entity's primary or declared service scope must include residential property — defined under most state frameworks as 1–4 unit dwellings, including single-family homes, condominiums, and small multifamily properties. Commercial-only providers are outside the listing scope (see contrast below).
• Geographic coverage: Providers are included if they operate within at least one U.S. state jurisdiction. National Residential Authority does not list providers operating exclusively outside U.S. regulatory frameworks.
• No disqualifying disciplinary record: Providers with a publicly documented final disciplinary action — such as license revocation recorded in a state commission's public database — are not eligible for directory placement.

The distinction between residential and commercial credentials matters significantly for inclusion. A broker holding only a commercial designation under CCIM Institute standards, without a state residential license, falls outside this directory's scope. By contrast, a dual-licensed broker holding both a state residential license and commercial designations qualifies for listing under the residential category.

How the directory is maintained

Directory entries are subject to periodic verification against primary source databases. For real estate licensees, primary sources include individual state real estate commission license lookup tools. For mortgage originators, the NMLS Consumer Access portal (available at nmlsconsumeraccess.org, maintained by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors) provides the authoritative federal reference point.

The maintenance cycle operates as follows:

1. Initial verification — Licensure status is confirmed against the relevant state or federal database at the time of entry creation.
2. Periodic re-verification — Entries are checked against primary source databases on a defined review cycle to identify license expirations, status changes, or disciplinary actions.
3. Triggered review — Credible third-party reports of a status change (such as a license suspension published in a state commission bulletin) trigger an immediate manual review of the affected listing.
4. Update or removal — Listings that no longer meet inclusion standards are updated to reflect the change or removed from active directory pages.

The Residential Directory: Purpose and Scope framework is structured to reflect regulatory standards rather than self-reported provider information. Self-reported data submitted by providers is used only where it supplements, and does not contradict, primary source verification.

What the directory does not cover

National Residential Authority's directory does not function as a consumer review platform, a complaints registry, or a legal referral service. The following categories fall outside directory scope:

• Commercial real estate exclusively — Firms and professionals whose licensing and practice are limited to commercial, industrial, or land transactions without a residential component are not listed.
• Unlicensed service trades — General contractors, landscapers, painters, and similar trades that do not require a real estate or appraisal license as a condition of their residential work are outside this directory's scope. The National Remodeling Authority (nationalremodelingauthority.com) covers the residential remodeling and construction trade sector.
• Tenant-side rental services — Resources specific to renters, tenant rights organizations, and rental assistance programs fall within the scope of National Renters Authority (nationalrentersauthority.com), a separate directory resource in the same vertical network.
• Legal and financial advisory services — Real estate attorneys, tax advisors, and financial planners are not listed, as their regulatory oversight (state bar associations, the SEC, FINRA) falls outside the real estate licensing framework that governs this directory.
• Properties for sale or lease — This directory lists service providers, not properties. It is not a multiple listing service (MLS) and does not replicate the function of MLS databases operated under rules established by the National Association of Realtors.

Providers and researchers with questions about listing eligibility can reference the How to Use This Residential Resource page or reach the directory through the Contact page.