Here are real estate informational reports from various government resources

Sales & Financing

Buying Your Home: Settlement Costs and Helpful Information. Describes the home buying, financing, and settlement (closing) process. Helpful tips on shopping for a loan with worksheets to calculate and compare closing costs. 35 pp. (1997. HUD)

Consumer Handbook On Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Basic features, advantages, risks, and terminology associated with adjustable rate mortgages. Explains how ARM's work, how to reduce your risk, and more. Includes a table for comparing mortgages. 25 pp. (1990. FRB)

Consumer's Guide to Mortgage Lock-Ins. Basic information to help you obtain the terms of credit you really want. Lists questions to ask when shopping for a mortgage. 14 pp. (1995. FRB)

Consumer's Guide to Mortgage Refinancings. Is refinancing beneficial to you? Learn the costs and how to tell if the time is right. 8 pp. (1996. FRB)

Energy Efficient Mortgage Home Owner Guide. If you're buying, refinancing, or remodeling, save money with a mortgage that covers energy-saving repairs. 9 pp. (1996. DOE)

Home Buyer's Vocabulary. Defines common words and terms used in the real estate world. Especially useful for the first time buyer. 14 pp. (1987. HUD)

How to Buy a Home With a Low Down Payment. There are private and federal options for obtaining a mortgage. Learn how to qualify, determine what you can afford, and more. 9 pp. (1998. USDA) 572F. Free.

How to Buy a Manufactured (Mobile) Home. Tips on selection and placement, warranties, site preparation, transportation, installation, and more. 22 pp. (1997. FTC)

HUD Home Buying Guide. Here are step-by-step instructions for finding and financing a HUD home. Includes charts to help you estimate mortgage payments. 11 pp. (1998. HUD)

Looking for the Best Mortgage - Shop, Compare, Negotiate. Using these 3 steps can save you thousands of dollars on a home loan or mortgage. Find more useful tips on bargaining for a better mortgage in this booklet. 7 pp. (1999. FRB)

Selling A Home. Gives practical tips on how to prepare your house for sale, how to choose an agent, setting a fair price, where to get legal help, and tax implications. 13 pp. (1996. USDA)

Twelve Ways to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs. Practical tips to help reduce your expenses. Lists phone numbers of state insurance departments for more information. 4 pp. (1995. HHS)

Home Maintenance

Am I Covered?. Answers 15 common questions regarding homeowners insurance and explains what is covered in a standard policy. 9 pp. (1997. HHS)

Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. How to choose which of the five basic types will help you save the most money and energy. 4 pp. (1997. DOE)

Backyard Bird Problems. How to control common problems such as destruction of garden plants, nesting in gutters and chimneys, and damage to your home's exterior. 27 pp. (1993. DOI)

Cooling Your Home Naturally. Suggests how to save electricity and keep your home cool with landscaping, roof treatments, and more. 8 pp. (1994. DOE)

Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home. A practical guide on how to reduce your home energy use, with tips on insulation, weatherization, heating and cooling, lighting, landscaping, and much more. 36 pp. (1998. DOE)

Energy-Efficient Windows. Describes how to reduce your home's heating, cooling and lighting costs using properly selected and installed windows. 6 pp. (1994. DOE)

Fixing Up Your Home and How to Finance It. Information about hiring a contractor, doing the work yourself, and the HUD Title 1 home improvement loan program. 2 pp. (1998. HUD)

Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment. Tips on soil preparation, grasses, watering, mowing, pesticides, choosing a lawn care service, and more. 19 pp. (1992. EPA)

Home Electrical Safety Check. Lists symptoms of potential electrical hazards, discusses do's and don'ts, and poses questions to help you keep your home safe. 17 pp. (1996. CPSC)

Home Improvement. Helpful advice on when home improvements pay off, how to select different home improvement specialist, and comparing financing options. 13 pp. (1996. USDA)

Home Sweet Home Improvement. Home improvement can be a big challenge with many questions along the way. Here's help for everything from choosing a contractor to cleaning up the job site. 11 pp. (1998. FTC)

Home Water Treatment Units. Discusses various options for purifying drinking water, factors to consider before purchasing a unit, and how to avoid deceptive sales pitches. 4 pp. (1993. FTC)

How to Prune Trees. Illustrated guide shows what to do, what not to do, tools to use and when for healthy, strong trees. 30 pp. (1995. USDA)

How to Recognize Hazardous Defects in Trees. Learn how to inspect your trees, what defects to look for, and how to correct problems. 19 pp. (1996. USDA)

Indoor Air Hazards Every Homeowner Should Know About. How to identify and reduce the hazards of indoor air pollutants such as asbestos, radon, lead, molds and more. 13 pp. (1998. USDA/EPA)

Keeping Your Home Safe. Use the crime-stoppers' checklist and other practical tips to protect your home from fire and theft. 13 pp. (1996. DOJ)

Managing the Japanese Beetle: A Homeowner's Handbook. Discusses how to detect and control Japanese beetles, and choose plants that resist Japanese beetle feeding. 16 pp. (1998. USDA)

Power$mart: Easy Tips to Save Money and the Planet. Would you like to save energy without sacrificing comfort in your home? Learn how to make energy-efficient choices that are good for your family, your finances, and the environment. 24 pp. (1998. DOE/EPA)

Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home. Exposure to lead is dangerous, especially to young children. Learn how to check your home and reduce the hazards. 15 pp. (1995. EPA)

Rehab a Home With HUD's 203(k). Learn how you can get a long-term mortgage that includes the costs of reconstructing, modernizing and eliminating health and safety hazards in your home. Find out what properties are eligible, what improvements are covered, and how to apply. 30 pp. (1995. HUD)

Repairing Your Flooded Home. Step-by-step advice on cleaning up and repairing your home and its contents after a flood and how to protect your home in the future. 55 pp. (1992. FEMA)

Selecting a New Water Heater. Describes how different types of water heaters work and important features to consider when buying. 6 pp. (1995. DOE)

Should You Have Your Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?. How to decide if your ducts need cleaning, choose a cleaning service, evaluate health claims, and keep ducts clean. 20 pp. (1997. EPA)

Weather Patterns Are Changing, and So Are Your Chances of Being Flooded. In recent years, 2 out of every 3 U.S. natural disasters were flood related. Learn how to obtain the flood insurance you should have. 5 pp. (1999. FEMA)
 
  Ohio Housing Finance Agency

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Patricia Cox, CRS, GRI Office Phone 614 895-1689 Toll Free# 800 886-2100 Fax 614 474-1690   Patricia@plcox.com ...www.plcox.com

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last updated on 10/07/2005