Associations and Other Resources

• American Institute of Architects 1735 New York Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20006 The AIA can refer you to members in your area.

• American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. (ASHI) 932 Lee Street, Suite 101 Des Plaines, IL 60016 They can provide you with the name of a home inspector in your area.

• Home Referral Network Provides a free service to match consumers with buyer agents.

• The Council of Better Business Bureaus c/o Publications Department 4200 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22203 703-276-0100 They offer tips on home inspection.

• Fannie Mae P.O. Box 100 Pueblo, CO 81002 The Federal Citizen Information Center offers a free catalog (available at most libraries) as well as many good government pamphlets covering settlement costs, manufactured homes, and G.I. loans.

• Worldwide ERC® 1717 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC, 20006

• Federal National Mortgage Association 3900 Wisconsin Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20016 Provides homebuying information for single-family and multifamily houses, guidelines for mortgage qualification and application, information about what's new in lending, dates, and locations of homebuying and home-financing seminars, and listings of Fannie Mae-owned properties for sale or auction.

• Federal Reserve Board 20th St. and C St., NW Washington, DC, 20551 The Federal Reserve offers many free brochures about real estate.

• Mortgage Bankers Association of America 1919 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20006-3438 Mortgage Bankers of America offers a section for consumers on homebuying, as well as overall homebuying tips and a glossary.

• National Association of Home Builders 1201 15th St., NW Washington, DC 20005 This association represents builders, remodelers, and others involved in the home-building industry.

• National Association of Realtors 430 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 This association provides information to both consumers and real-estate agents, including homes for sale and tons of educational materials.

• The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) 780 Lee Street, Suite 200 Des Plaines, IL 60016 NARI offers a wealth of material that ranges from design ideas to remodeling plans, a library of resources, and consumer tips to help avoid scams in this industry.

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472 FEMA offers information on flood insurance.

• National Trust for Historic Preservation 1785 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20036 The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to preserve and protect historical property through a variety of educational, technical, political, and financial means.

Credit Reports

You can obtain a copy of your credit report by contacting one of the following agencies.

• AnnualCreditReport.com

• Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30348

• Experian P.O. Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013

• TransUnion P.O. Box 1000 Chester, PA 19022