Easy-to-use home buying guide from HUD.  Includes common questions from first-time homebuyers; rights of a homebuyer; calculating how much mortgage you can afford; choosing a real estate agent; various home buying programs; and tips on inspections, appraisals, and homeowner's insurance.

Contains resources on all aspects of house buying and homeownership, including information on buying, financing, insurance, selling, moving, and repairs.  Also includes separate databases to search for home listings and apartment rentals.  

Housing information for the disabled: buying a home, housing options, rental information, housing rights, and more.  The site is maintained by the federal government.

Consumer information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) about predatory lending and loan fraud.  Defines predatory lending, identifies tactics used by predatory lenders, and offers tips on being a smart homebuyer.  Includes links to HUD's housing counseling agencies. 

Sponsored by Fannie Mae, this site will help you with buying or refinancing a home.  Homepath helps you find mortgage lenders and homeowner education counselors in your area.  Additional Homepath resources such as home buying guides, calculators, and checklists are also available.

Check home sale prices in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino, Orange, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties.  Sales records are from official county records recorded 45 days ago.  New sales records are added on the 1st and 16th of each month.  Approximately one year of data is available to search.

Check recent home sale prices in a specific area with the "Home Price Check" feature.  The Home Price Check database contains over 27 million US home purchase price records and is updated constantly.  Prices are typically available 6 weeks after the close of sale.  For full access you will need to register (free).

California's largest directory of properties for sale, with information provided by 50 REALTORŪ Multiple Listing Services throughout California.  Search for houses, condos, income, land, commercial, lease, and ranch properties.  Also includes homebuying tools to find a REALTORŪ, find a multilingual REALTORŪ, find a mover, tour neighborhoods, and a Real Estate 101 guide.

Database of homes for sale by owner (without a broker).  Also offers neighborhood reports, and moving, financial, and home improvement services.

Use the Contractors License Status Check, the Complaint Information, or any of the other useful tools on this State of California page.  Also visit the Guides & Pamphlets section of the "Publications" link for useful consumer guides that can be downloaded or ordered.

Multi-service home improvement site.  Select a contractor from ImproveNet's list of over 600,000 contractors who are screened against public records and ImproveNet's own legal and financial criteria.  Also screens designers.  Submit your job profile and receive a list of contractors by email.  Also find home plans, lists of lenders, product showcase, and expert advice.  Services both free and fee-based.