Contact

The Property Services Authority directory serves professionals, researchers, and service seekers operating across the United States real estate sector. This page defines the geographic scope of directory coverage, specifies what information to include when submitting an inquiry or listing request, and explains how submissions are processed. Familiarity with the directory's classification structure — detailed on the Property Services Directory Purpose and Scope page — will help ensure messages are routed correctly.

Service area covered

The directory covers property service providers operating within all 50 U.S. states, with classification organized around the four primary real estate asset types recognized by the National Association of Realtors (NAR): residential, commercial, industrial, and land. Each asset type carries distinct licensing obligations, regulatory exposure, and service provider categories, which affects how inquiries are categorized and processed.

Federal regulatory scope governs baseline standards across this geographic range. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers fair housing standards under the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.), applicable to how property services are marketed and delivered in every jurisdiction. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA, 12 U.S.C. § 2601), administered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), governs settlement-related services in residential transactions nationwide.

State-level licensing requirements create meaningful variation across jurisdictions. Property management, brokerage, inspection, appraisal, and title services are each licensed at the state level, with no single national license applying uniformly. An inquiry about a California-licensed property manager involves regulatory frameworks distinct from one involving a Florida-licensed appraiser — a distinction the directory recognizes in its classification structure.

Coverage includes the following primary service categories:

1. Residential property services — brokerage, management, inspection, appraisal, and title work for single-family homes, condominiums, townhouses, duplexes, and residential rental units
2. Commercial property services — leasing, management, brokerage, and maintenance for retail, office, and mixed-use assets
3. Industrial property services — facilities management, environmental compliance coordination, and specialty contracting for warehouse, manufacturing, and logistics properties
4. Land services — surveying, environmental assessment, entitlement support, and rural property brokerage
5. Ancillary and specialty services — HOA administration, property restoration, maintenance contracting, and technology-enabled platform providers

Inquiries falling outside these categories — for example, those involving purely financial instruments, municipal zoning decisions, or civil litigation — are outside the directory's scope.

What to include in your message

Submissions and inquiries that include complete, structured information receive faster processing. The following breakdown applies across the four primary message types handled through this directory.

Listing submission or update requests should include:

1. Business or professional name exactly as it appears on the applicable state license
2. State of licensure and license number (where a public license applies — e.g., real estate broker, home inspector, appraiser)
3. Primary service category from the NAR asset-type classification above
4. Geographic service area, expressed as state(s) or metropolitan area(s)
5. A brief description of services offered (150 words or fewer)
6. Primary contact information for the listing record

Research and data inquiries should identify the specific service category, state jurisdiction, and the regulatory or professional standard in question — for example, a question referencing HUD's Multifamily Housing programs (hud.gov/program_offices/housing) or CFPB enforcement guidance will be routed more efficiently when the governing statute or agency is named in the message.

Corrections to existing listings should specify the current listing name, the field requiring correction, and the verified replacement information. Where a correction involves licensing status, citing the relevant state licensing board (e.g., the California Department of Real Estate or the Texas Real Estate Commission) as the source of updated information accelerates verification.

General directory navigation questions may reference the How to Use This Property Services Resource page before submitting, as most structural questions about search filters, category definitions, and listing eligibility are addressed there.

Response expectations

Submissions are reviewed in the order received. Listing requests that include all 6 data points listed above typically complete initial review as processing allows. Incomplete submissions enter a secondary queue pending follow-up clarification and may take up to 15 business days before a listing record is created or updated.

Research inquiries involving regulatory interpretation — for instance, questions about RESPA Section 8 kickback prohibitions or state-specific appraisal independence standards under the Dodd-Frank Act (12 U.S.C. § 5301 et seq.) — are acknowledged as processing allows. The directory does not provide legal or professional advice; responses to regulatory questions identify the governing agency or statute and direct the inquirer to the appropriate authoritative source.

Corrections to existing listings are prioritized when the submitter provides a direct link to the licensing authority's public verification portal, such as the CFPB's NMLS Consumer Access database for mortgage professionals or a state real estate commission's online license lookup.

Bulk inquiries — defined as submissions covering 10 or more listing records simultaneously — follow a separate review process. The expected timeline for bulk submissions is communicated individually upon receipt.

Additional contact options

The Property Services Listings index provides a searchable record of professionals and firms already included in the directory. Verifying whether a listing exists before submitting a new record avoids duplicate processing delays.

State real estate commissions maintain their own public complaint and inquiry channels independent of this directory. The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) maintains a directory of state licensing agencies for all 50 states, which is the appropriate channel for licensing verification, disciplinary history inquiries, and formal complaints against licensed practitioners.

For appraisal-related inquiries, the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council maintains the National Registry of State Certified and Licensed Appraisers, a publicly searchable federal database covering appraisers in all 50 states and U.S. territories.