The information nobody sells you.

California's state housing finance agency lists every loan and down payment assistance program it offers, including its shared-appreciation down payment help.

A four-step walkthrough — eligibility, pre-qualification, homebuyer education, searching — with an FAQ on credit score minimums and income limits.

HUD's nine-step roadmap from working out what you can afford through inspection, insurance and closing.

The federal consumer bureau’s neutral guide to shopping for a mortgage, with checklists, budget worksheets and closing-scam warnings. Also in Spanish.

Search by ZIP code for agencies offering free or low-cost, genuinely independent advice on buying, renting and mortgage trouble.

Loan types, how to request a Certificate of Eligibility, and why nearly 90% of VA-backed loans need no down payment.

The Section 502 guaranteed loan, which can reach 100% financing. Worth checking in the outer Bay Area — parts of Solano, Napa and Sonoma qualify.

An interactive sample you can click through line by line — rate lock, origination charges, prepayment penalty — built so you can compare lenders properly.

The same treatment for all five pages, plus a checklist of what to compare against your Loan Estimate in the three days before you sign.

The whole life of a mortgage: shopping, monthly statements, escrow changes, removing PMI, refinancing and foreclosure rights, with a plain-English glossary.

HUD's own explanation of the Standard and Limited 203(k) loans that roll purchase and renovation costs into one mortgage, with eligible-work fact sheets.

California's official lookup for contractor licences and Home Improvement Salesperson registrations, including complaint disclosure. Do this before you sign anything.

What a home improvement contract must legally contain, how to pick the right licence classification, permits, and extra protections for seniors.

The California Energy Commission hub for heat pumps, water heating, panel upgrades and EV charging, with a searchable rebate directory.

California DRE's public lookup for any agent, broker or brokerage, searchable by name, company or licence number.

Licence verification, how to file a complaint, disciplinary records, homebuyer guides and housing rights fact sheets.

Look up any California insurance agent, broker or adjuster and see licence status plus discipline history before you buy a policy.

The Department of Insurance's consumer hub for homeowner policy questions, filing a complaint, and its consumer hotline.

What counts as a Fair Housing Act violation and three ways to file — online, by phone, or by mail — plus protection against retaliation.

State law protects more characteristics than federal law, including source of income and immigration status. Includes the complaint process and the one-year deadline.

Submit a complaint about a mortgage company to the CFPB. The company normally has to respond within 15 days.

Search an address for the official flood zone designation — the map that determines whether flood insurance is required.

FEMA's explanation that standard homeowners policies exclude flood damage, and that roughly a third of claims come from outside high-risk zones.

Enter an address and see earthquake, flood, fire and tsunami hazards for that location, with steps to reduce risk.

Check whether a property sits in a fault-rupture, liquefaction or seismic landslide zone — directly relevant to Bay Area disclosures.

CAL FIRE's Zone 0, 1 and 2 clearance requirements around a home, with plant spacing rules and downloadable checklists.

Mitigation discounts under "Safer from Wildfires," FAIR Plan coverage, and what to do if a policy is non-renewed.

IRS Publication 523: the capital gain exclusion on a home sale, the ownership and use tests, and partial exclusions for job moves or health.

IRS Publication 530: mortgage interest, property taxes, closing costs, and why you must keep records of improvements to track your basis.

The assessed-value reduction for an owner-occupied home, how to file with your county assessor, and the February 15 deadline.

How owners 55+, severely disabled owners and disaster victims can carry their property tax base to a replacement home, and how parent-to-child transfers now work.

What qualifies for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement and Residential Clean Energy credits — insulation, windows, heat pumps, solar — and the limits.