New NAR Guide: Estate Planning
NAR’s new Consumer Guide explains estate planning basics, helping homeowners protect their property and plan for the future with tools like wills and trusts
ORLANDO, Fla. — What is an estate plan, and how is it different from a will? When should I begin estate planning? What happens to my home if I don’t have a plan? Homebuyers and sellers often have a multitude of questions regarding estate planning. The latest Consumer Guide by the National Association of Realtors® has answers.
The guide, Your Home and Estate Planning, explains how estate planning can help homeowners protect their property and ensure it is passed on according to their wishes, covering tools like wills, trusts and title planning.
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“A home is a long-term financial asset. Estate planning helps you decide what happens to your home and other assets if you can no longer care for them,” NAR said.
Like others in NAR’s Consumer Guide series, the estate planning guide is aimed to equip customers with the tools they need to make informed choices following the practice changes that began Aug. 17, highlighting the value of working with a Realtor®.
All of NAR’s Consumer Guides can be printed as handouts. Most are available in English and Spanish. NAR’s resources can also be viewed at facts.Realtor.
Click the title to view the PDFs:
- Why Am I Being Asked to Sign a Written Buyer Agreement? Covers recent practice changes when it comes to working with a real estate professional as a home buyer. Spanish
- Open Houses and Written Agreements: Covers what buyers need to know about touring homes, attending open houses and when a written buyer agreement is needed. Spanish
- Realtors’ Duty to Put Client Interests Above Their Own: Covers NAR’s strict Code of Ethics that all agents who are Realtors must follow and their ethical duties to act in their client’s best interests. Spanish
- What Veterans Need to Know About Buying a Home: Covers what NAR is doing to promote access to financing for veterans and highlights the options available to veteran buyers in their homebuying process. Spanish
- Offers of Compensation: Covers the process and options available for offering compensation to a buyer’s agent and the reasons why this may be a compelling option for sellers to consider when marketing their property. Spanish
- Negotiating Written Buyer Agreements: Covers what home buyers should expect when negotiating a written buyer agreement with an agent who is a Realtor. Spanish
- Seller Concessions: Covers the most common types of seller concessions, rules for when and where to offer them and how they can facilitate a successful transaction for both homebuyers and sellers. Spanish
- Multiple Listing Services (MLSs): Covers what an MLS is and how it aids in the homebuying and home selling process. Spanish
- Fair Housing: Covers housing discrimination and the Realtor’s role in ensuring fair housing practices are followed. Spanish
- Listing Agreements: Covers negotiating and signing a listing agreement with your agent. Spanish
- Ten Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent: Covers questions buyers should consider when selecting an agent and highlights the importance of Realtors. Spanish
- Ten Questions to Ask a Seller’s Agent: Covers questions sellers should consider when selecting an agent and highlights the important of Realtors. Spanish
- Buying Your First Home: Covers where to begin and what resources are available to first-time buyers. Spanish
- Mortgages and Financing: Covers general information about types of mortgages, available financing and concessions. Spanish
- Steps Between Signing and Closing on a Home: Covers commonly asked questions about the basics of what to expect during the period between signing and closing. Spanish
- Home Inspections: Covers details about home inspections including who is responsible for the associated costs and what “as is” means regarding a sale. Spanish
- Homeowners Insurance: Covers essential information for understanding the basics of homeowners insurance coverage. Spanish
- Flood Insurance: Covers key considerations for flood insurance, including requirements and options. Spanish
- Fire Damage and Policy Coverage: Covers important details about homeowners insurance policies regarding wildfire damage. Spanish
- Preparing to Sell Your Home: Covers how to prepare it for listing and viewing by potential buyers. Spanish
- What Goes Into Pricing Your Home: Covers the factors that influence a home’s price, how agents can determine the asking price and what sellers should know about it. Spanish
- Escrow and Earnest Money: Covers what buyers should know about earnest money deposits, including the general terms and use cases in real estate transactions. Spanish
- Preparing for Homeownership: Covers what prospective buyers should consider as they start their home purchase process. Spanish
- Property Taxes: Covers general questions about property taxes, including information about exemptions and reassessments. Spanish
- Marketing Your Home: Covers considerations when marketing a home for sale, including open houses, staging and curb appeal. Spanish
- Homeowners Associations: Covers details about HOAs, including rules, fees and the benefits and drawbacks of HOA living. Spanish
- Navigating Multiple Offers: Covers the basics of what sellers need to know, including how offers can vary, evaluating them, counteroffers and negotiation strategies. Spanish
- Buying Land and Building a New Home: Covers how to find land for sale, explains construction loans and weighs the pros and cons of building a custom home. Spanish
- Understanding & Protecting Yourself From Title Fraud: Covers what you need to know about title fraud, how it happens, who’s most at risk and how to prevent it. Spanish
- Overcoming Barriers to Homeownership: Covers fair housing, debt management and financial readiness. Spanish
- Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction: Covers how the deduction works and qualifying factors for smarter financial decisions. Spanish.
- Your Home and Estate Planning: Covers estate planning to help homeowners protect their property and ensure it is passed on according to their wishes.
For the most up-to-date information about the practice changes, including videos, infographics and new and revised forms and contracts, check the Florida Realtors®’ NAR Settlement Resource Guide webpage frequently.
All forms are also available on Form Simplicity. As always, the Florida Realtors Legal Hotline is available weekdays to answer your questions at 407-438-1409. Questions may also be submitted online any time by clicking here.
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