Getting into the real estate business can be rewarding, but daunting. This page helps you understand and comply with laws and regulations that apply to the housing and real estate industry.

Click on one of the following links to jump to that section of the page:

• Selling HUD Homes

• HUD Lenders

• Appraisals and Inspections

• Property Management

• General Resources

Selling HUD Homes

• Introduction to Selling HUD Homes
  Provides U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) information on HUD Homes for sale.

• Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) 
  Provides information on RESPA, which requires that consumers receive disclosures at various times in the transaction, and outlaws kickbacks that increase the cost of settlement services. RESPA is a HUD consumer protection statute designed to help home buyers be better shoppers in the home buying process, and is enforced by HUD.

• Selling HUD Homes: Guide for Real Estate Brokers
  Provides information to real estate brokers interested in selling HUD Homes.

• Interstate Land Sales
  Includes requirements for land developers to register subdivisions of 100 or more non-exempt lots with HUD and to provide each purchaser with a disclosure document called a Property Report.

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HUD Lenders

• FHA Title II Mortgage Starter Kit
  Supplies a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lender starter kit for those concentrating on single family homes.

• How to Become a HUD Approved Lender
  Helps new lenders get started with HUD/FHA insured mortgage products and helps old lenders recertify their approved status.

• Lender Assessment Subsystem (LASS)
  Provides guidance for non-supervised Title I and Title II lenders and loan correspondents who use the LASS system to submit their annual CPA prepared audit and financial statement to renew their FHA lender approval as part of the recertification process.

• Lenders Guide to HUD
  Offers a one-stop portal for lenders, bankers, and others associated with mortgage loans.

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Appraisals and Inspections

• HUD Inspectors and 203K Consultants Guide
  Provides citizens and lenders with tools to search for a FHA inspector or 203k consultant by location, ID, name or status.

• HUD Reverse Auction Program
  Provides information on the PIH-REAC Reverse Auction Program (RAP) that secures inspection services for HUD assisted housing.

• FHA Appraisers Guide
  Supplies FHA appraisers with links to important sites, answers to frequently asked questions, necessary forms, news and other information.

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Property Management

• Advertising Consumer Leases
  Explains consumer lease requirements. If you advertise consumer leases, your ads must comply with the streamlined rules for lease advertising found in the Consumer Leasing Act (CLA) and Regulation.

• Using Consumer Credit Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
  Offers a fact sheet for landlords using consumer and credit reports to evaluate rental applications.

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General Resources

• Fair Housing Advertising
  Covers the provisions of the Fair Housing Act, which make it unlawful to discriminate in the sale, rental, and financing of housing, and in the provision of brokerage and appraisal services, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.

• Tax Guide to Real Estate Businesses
  Gives tax tips, trends and statistics for the real estate industry.

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