New NAR Guides Protect Buyers, Sellers

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Association of Realtors® released three Consumer Guides to assist prospective and current homeowners in navigating the complexities of real estate transactions. These guides provide valuable information on private mortgage insurance, home selling safety and protection against wire fraud.

The Do You Need Private Mortgage Insurance? guide explains when it may be required and how it affects monthly payments, helping buyers make informed financing decisions. Sellers can find practical tips for safeguarding their privacy and personal information during the sales process in the Home Selling Tips for Privacy and Safety guide. Meanwhile, the How to Protect Against Real Estate Wire Fraud guide outlines steps to protect funds and avoid scams, a growing concern in real estate transactions.

The three guides are the latest in the Consumer Guide series, reflecting NAR’s ongoing effort to help homeowners and buyers navigate the market safely and confidently. They are designed to provide customers with the tools they need to make informed choices and highlights 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.

The guides are designed to help consumers at every stage of the homeownership process:

Buying a Home

• 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
• 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
• Buying Your First Home: Covers where to begin and what resources are available to first-time buyers. 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
• Buyer’s vs. Seller’s Markets: Covers details about the different types of markets and what each means. Spanish

Selling a Home

• 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
• Listing Agreements: Covers negotiating and signing a listing agreement with your agent. 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
• 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
• Marketing Your Home: Covers considerations when marketing a home for sale, including open houses, staging and curb appeal. 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
• Home Selling Tips for Privacy and Safety: Covers steps to protect personal info, secure valuables and manage access during home showings and sales.

Working With a Realtor

• 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
• Ten Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent: Covers questions buyers should consider when selecting an agent and highlights the importance of Realtors. 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
• Fair Housing: Covers housing discrimination and the Realtor’s role in ensuring fair housing practices are followed. Spanish

Financial Decisions

• 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
• Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction: Covers how the deduction works and qualifying factors for smarter financial decisions. Spanish.
• What is the VA Home Loan Guaranty?: Covers loan options for those who’ve completed military service or are actively serving our country. 
• 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
• Assistance Programs: Covers housing assistance program available for consumers to buy and keep their homes. Spanish
• Property Taxes: Covers general questions about property taxes, including information about exemptions and reassessments. Spanish

• State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions: Covers changes to the federal SALT deductions. Spanish
• Mortgages and Financing: Covers general information about types of mortgages, available financing and concessions. Spanish

Homeownership Basics

• Preparing for Homeownership: Covers what prospective buyers should consider as they start their home purchase process. Spanish
• Homeowners Associations: Covers details about HOAs, including rules, fees and the benefits and drawbacks of HOA living. Spanish
• Overcoming Barriers to Homeownership: Covers fair housing, debt management and financial readiness. 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
• 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. Spanish
• 10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move: Covers practical strategies to make moving easier. 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
• How to Protect Against Real Estate Wire Fraud: Covers how scammers target real estate transactions and steps to verify wiring instructions and prevent fraud.

Insurance

• 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
• Do You Need Private Mortgage Insurance?:  Covers when PMI is required, how to cancel it and new tax deductions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Spanish

The guides can be printed as handouts. Most are available in English and Spanish. NAR’s resources can also be viewed at facts.Realtor.

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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