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NAR Settlement UPDATE

NAR Guide Empowers Buyers with Questions

NAR’s new resource, Ten Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent, helps buyers select the right agent by providing essential questions to ask during the process.

WASHINGTON – Buyers should feel confident and empowered to find an agent who aligns with their needs and keeps their best interests front and center. To support this, the National Association of Realtors® released its latest Consumer Guide, spotlighting important questions buyers should ask when choosing an agent.

The guide, Ten Questions to Ask a Buyer's Agent, equips buyers with key questions for prospective agents and underscores the value of working with a Realtor®. It asks and answers questions that include the following?

  • What types of services can you provide me?
  • Can you tell me about your approach to scouting properties?
  • What will be included in our written buyer agreement?

The guide is the 11th in NAR’s series that is designed to educate customers as they go through the buying and selling process following the practice changes that began on Aug. 17. All of the guides can be viewed at the NAR website facts.Realtor or printed as handouts. Most are available in English and Spanish. Note: NAR said the new Listing Agreement Consumer Guide doesn’t constitute any change to its policies.

Click the title to view the PDFs:

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Negotiating Written Buyer Agreements: Covers what home buyers should expect when negotiating a written buyer agreement with an agent who is a Realtor. Spanish
  7. 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
  8. Multiple Listing Services (MLSs): Covers what an MLS is and how it aids in the homebuying and home selling process. Spanish
  9. Fair Housing: Covers housing discrimination and the Realtor’s role in ensuring fair housing practices are followed. Spanish
  10.  Listing Agreements: Covers negotiating and signing a listing agreement with your agent. Spanish
  11. Ten Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent: Covers questions buyers should consider when selecting an agent and highlights the importance of Realtors. Spanish version not yet available.

Be sure to check Florida Realtors®’ NAR Settlement Resource Guide webpage frequently for the most up-to-date information about the practice changes, including videos, infographics and new and revised forms and contracts.

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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