New Guides: Energy Efficiency, Historic Property

ORLANDO, Fla. — Need ways to lower a home energy bill or tips for buying a home with old-world charm? Two new Consumer Guides by the National Association of Realtors® offer practical advice for making a home more energy efficient and navigating the unique considerations of purchasing a historic property.

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NAR’s Making Your Home More Energy Efficient guide provides suggestions for energy-efficient home improvements, including easy, low-cost ways to save money and upgrades that provide the best return on investment. Some of the questions answered include:

• Where should I start?
• How can I make my home more energy efficient before selling?
• Are there financing or incentive programs available?
• Do older homes need different energy upgrades than newer ones?

The Buying a Historic Property Consumer Guide offers best practices for buying a landmark home, with advice on everything from inspections to financial incentives. It tackles some common concerns, including:

• What should I look for during an inspection?
• Can I make modern upgrades to a historic home?
• How does buying a historic property affect insurance?

All of the Consumer Guides in the NAR series focus on ensuring customers have the tools they need to make informed choices following the practice changes that began Aug. 17, highlighting the value of working with a Realtor®.

The 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. Spanish
• Buyer’s vs. Seller’s Markets: Covers details about the different types of markets and what each means. Spanish
• Assistance Programs: Covers housing assistance program available for consumers to buy and keep their homes. Spanish
• Real Estate Auctions: Covers the home auction process to help customers understand how it works and what makes them different from traditional sales. Spanish
• Working With a Real Estate Attorney: Covers how real estate attorney help customers navigate the home buying process. Spanish
• Making Your Home More Energy Efficient: Covers how to get started with energy-efficient improvements and what to keep in mind along the way. Spanish
• Buying a Historic Property: Covers things to know before buying a historic property.

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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