Happy New Year! The reset of the annual calendar is a reminder that no matter what came before, there’s opportunity ahead. To help your members kick off 2025 strong, share NAR’s popular and growing series of Consumer Guides. Each one-page resource gives clients a handy overview of key aspects of the real estate transaction, like negotiating written buyer agreements and understanding offers of compensation. They’re an invaluable way to start conversations with and educate consumers. After all, knowledgeable home buyers and sellers are your members’ best advocates.
Encourage members to give the guides—which also are available in Spanish—to clients as handouts or include them in their social media feeds and other marketing communications to demonstrate their value. NAR continues to add new guides, so make sure to bookmark facts.realtor, where you’ll find the latest additions.
Cheers for a bright 2025!
- Buying Your First Home
Where to begin and what resources are available to buyers as they embark on their homeownership journey. - 10 Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent
Key questions buyers should ask prospective agents during an interview to find the practitioner who best fits their needs. - 10 Questions to Ask a Sellers’ Agent
Key questions sellers should ask prospective agents during an interview to find the practitioner who best fits their needs. - REALTORS®' Duty to Put Client Interests Above Their Own
What it means for an agent who is a REALTOR® to act in their client’s best interest and how the practice changes combat unlawful steering practices. - Agency and Non-Agency Relationships
A clear understanding of the relationship options that may be available to consumers under state law. - Multiple Listing Services
How agents use an MLS to find homes for sale or market properties. - Listing Agreements
What they are, what they include and sellers’ options for representation. - Written Buyer Agreements
What they are, why consumers will be asked to sign them and how they help create clarity and transparency at the start of a relationship between a buyer and their real estate professional. - Negotiating Written Buyer Agreements
How and why consumers can negotiate the terms of written buyer agreements with a prospective real estate representative. - Open Houses and Written Agreements
When agents are and aren’t required to enter into written agreements with buyers. - Mortgages and Financing
Options for finding a loan that will help buyers pay for their new home over time. - Offers of Compensation for Home Sellers
The process and options available for offering compensation to a buyer’s agent and the reasons why this may be a compelling strategy for sellers to consider when marketing their property. - Seller Concessions
The most common types, guidance for when and where to offer them and how they can facilitate a successful transaction for both homebuyers and sellers. - The Appraisal Process
Answers to eight common questions about appraisals, including why consumers need one and what happens when the appraised value is different from the purchase price. - Home InspectionsAnswers to eight common questions to help consumers understand the inspection process and how it informs decision-making.
- What Buyers Should Know Before Closing
What happens between signing the purchase agreement and closing, including escrow, appraisal and more. - What Veterans Need to Know About Buying a Home
What NAR is doing to promote access to financing for veterans and their options in the homebuying process. - Fair Housing
Consumer and agent rights and responsibilities for promoting a homebuying or selling process free from discrimination.
