Housing Market Conditions: Internet Resources

The Internet contains abundant information and resources on housing market conditions and the challenges of certain housing markets. HUD's Web site (www.hud.gov) has a number of pages devoted to assisting people buy or sell a home, as well as countless resources for those seeking more affordable housing. In addition, HUD publishes quarterly the periodical U.S. Housing Market Conditions, which is a compilation of statistical data and written reports. This periodical is available at https://www.huduser.gov/periodicals/ushmc.html. State of the Cities Data Systems (http://socds.huduser.gov/) offers additional data for individual Metropolitan Areas, Central Cities, and Suburbs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/) helps rural communities and individuals by providing loans and grants for housing and community facilities. The Web site provides information and resources for nonprofit organizations, public bodies, lenders, developers, and individual families.

The United States Census Bureau Web site (www.census.gov) contains a host of data on housing across the United States.

The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) (http://www.fanniemae.com/) provides financial products and services that assist low-, moderate-, and middle-income families to achieve homeownership. The Web site offers resources that include housing market news and statistics that serve the needs of business partners, home buyers, and homeowners.

Freddie Mac (http://www.freddiemac.com/) is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress to increase the supply of funds that mortgage lenders, such as commercial banks, mortgage bankers, savings institutions and credit unions, can make available to homebuyers and multifamily investors. The Freddie Mac Web site has resources that include mortgage market data, homeownership resources, and a new Doing Business section designed to provide business customers with quick access to information and tools.

The Joint Center for Housing Studies (http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/aboutus/mission.html) is Harvard University's center for information and research on housing in the United States. The Joint Center Web Site makes the Center's housing research, including published reports, web site, Working Paper series, and public lectures available and accessible to audiences both within and outside the university. This research includes the annual State of the Nation's Housing Report.

The National Association of Homebuilders (www.nahb.org) is a trade association that helps promote the policies that make housing a national priority. Its Web site provides resources for homebuilders and contractors in addition to other housing specialists related to the association's work in policy issue analysis, improving the housing finance system, and forecasting economic trends. In addition, the NAHB Research Center (http://www.nahbrc.org) provides independent third-party evaluation and testing of products and materials to help keep builders on the leading edge of technology while taking into account quality and affordability.