Buying a home can be complicated, but fortunately a lot of expert advice is available to help people navigate the experience. These online resources can help make the process smoother. Buying and Owning a Home Freddie Mac Buying a Home Department of Housing and Urban Development The Home Buying Process Federal Housing Administration FHA Loans Federal Housing Administration Homeownership Resources Fannie Mae Home Loan Learning Center Mortgage Bankers Association Home Loan Guaranty Services Dept. of Veterans Affairs State and Local Home Buyer Assistance Programs Housing Publications from the Federal Citizen Information Center Most in PDF format Consumer Information from NAHB NAHB.org Mortgage information from the Fed Federal Reserve Board Home Financing Information from the FTC Federal Trade Commission Research California's public and charter schools at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ or http://www.charterassociation.org/home.asp. The ADRE advises: "Call the school district serving the subdivision to determine whether nearby schools are accepting new students. Some school districts, have placed a cap on enrollment. You may find that your children cannot attend the school nearest you and may even be transported to another community." City of Sacramento: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/clerk/General/codes.htm Sacramento County: http://www.saccounty.net/planning/index.html For information on known environmental hazards visit the California Environmental Health Tracking Program website at http://catracking.com/. Another source of environmental information is the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment at http://www.oehha.ca.gov/public_info/TDenviro.html. There are numerous sites in California where the soil and groundwater have been contaminated by improper disposal of contaminants. Maps and other information on areas in need of cleanup are available at the Environmental Protection Agency's website, http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/ca.htm. Although the existence of a freeway near the property may provide highly desirable access, sometimes it contributes to undesirable noise. For information on freeway construction and other transportation information, search the CalTrans website at http://www.dot.ca.gov/ Crime satistics can provide some indication of the level of criminal activity in an area. To check crime statistics for Sacramento County, go to http://www.sacsheriff.com/index.cfm. Find other California crime statistics at http://ca.rand.org/stats/community/crimes.html. As a result of Meghan's Law, http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/ will provide you with access to information on more than 63,000 persons required to register in California as sex offenders. Specific home addresses are displayed on more than 33,500 offenders in the California communities.