General Resources

Free online credit report: Obtain your free credit report annually.

Obtain your FICO score: This site charges a fee, but it might be worth it to have all your ducks in a row.  

HUD Web site: This site provides information on housing basics, first-time buyer grants, and links to state and local offices near you.

Home Amenities

Freddie Mac: Web site of the government-chartered corporation that provides funding to lenders in the housing market. Click on Worksheets (Under Calculators and Tools) to view forms about needs vs. wants, appliance life spans, and other home-buying issues.  

Remodeling Magazine: Click on the link labeled Resale Value of Your Project to see a comparison between the cost and value provided for most major home-improvement projects.

Zillow.com: See the value of various improvements and then play around with My Estimator to find out how improvements affect a home's valuation.

Condominiums

Community Associations Institute: Click on Publications and then Reading Room to access information on communal living.

Foreclosures and Fixer-Uppers

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Primary government source on the ins and outs of foreclosure sales. Click on http://www.hud.gov/homes/ ... rsale.cfm for detailed information and links to specific properties for sale.  

National Association of the Remodeling Industry: Click on the Home Owners button to access articles on everything from improving natural light to surviving a remodel.

Help with Negotiating

Department of Housing and Urban Development: A Web site maintained with the help of your tax dollars that has solid consumer-oriented information. 

Motley Fool: This Web site has some good negotiating advice as well.

Zillow Resources

• Comparables: Use comparables for the house you are buying to justify your offer.
• My Estimator: Save and print out your own estimate of the home's value using things you noticed when you went through the house.

Help with Closing

Department of Housing and Urban Development: HUD has a complete guide to buying a home, including a 24-page booklet titled, "Buying Your Home, Settlement Costs and Useful Information." You can also download a set of HUD-1 forms to study.

Federal Consumer Information Center: This site has links to HUD information, but click on "housing" and "insurance" under Consumer Topics for additional sources.

Consumer Action Website: This site offers help on numerous subjects including housing and insurance.