Helpful Tools for Home Buyers, Sellers, and Owners

It will come as no surprise to anyone paying attention to real estate these days that the process of buying or selling a property has not become any simpler. If anything, the current landscape—the housing market, economy, inflation, laws and ordinances, tax policies, restrictions and regulations, and more—can stir up an increasing amount of fear, doubt, and intimidation in those considering jumping into the fray.

That complexity and range of emotions are among the reasons EMTAR seeks to encourage, inform, and inspire our REALTOR® members in their work, and to provide prospective buyers and sellers with a menu of helpful tools designed to offer guidance for the journey.

For example, on the Consumers tab of our EMTAR website, we include The Guidebook for Buyers, a collection of how-tos, checklists, and worksheets to help buyers understand what to expect during the real estate purchasing experience. This helpful resource is available to view and/or download here.

As another source of insight and information, just a few days ago the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) announced a brand-new series of consumer resources designed to help agents who are REALTORS® empower home buyers and sellers following recent practice changes related to the settlement that took effect on August 17, 2024.

To date, NAR has published six installments in the consumer series and will continue to release new resources in the weeks ahead.

“At the heart of what we do as Realtors®—who abide by a strict code of ethics—is protect and promote the interests of our clients,” said NAR President Kevin Sears. “We are committed to making the process of buying or selling a home as transparent and seamless as possible for clients, and this new series of guides provides an exceptionally clear roadmap for the process of working with an agent who is a Realtor®.”

The following guides are currently available—in English and Spanish—on NAR’s website:

• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• Negotiating written buyer agreements — covers what home buyers should expect when negotiating a written buyer agreement with an agent who is a REALTOR®.
  

For more information and the latest NAR consumer resources, please visit facts.realtor. And for a wide array of EMTAR blogs addressing many of these same vital topics, start here.

As an example of the kind of tools and resources available both from NAR and on our EMTAR website, here’s a quick list for any consumers who might still be on the fence about whether to take the first steps on a journey toward homeownership, as shared in more details in this previous EMTAR blog:

1. Tax benefits. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, and some of the costs involved in buying a home.

2. Appreciation. Historically, real estate has had a long-term, stable growth in value.

3. Equity. Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home. 

4. Savings. Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan.

5. Predictability. Unlike rent, your fixed-rate mortgage payments don’t rise over the years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the home longer.

6. Freedom. The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and choose the types of upgrades and new amenities that appeal to your lifestyle. 

7. Stability. Remaining in one neighborhood for several years allows you and your family time to build long-lasting relationships within the community.

These aren’t the only good reasons to pursue homeownership, of course, but they tick off some of the major boxes for anyone who might be thinking about going down a path toward owning their own home.

And those insights are just some of the many tools and tips available to our REALTOR® members and to the consumers they are privileged to assist in what is for most folks the largest transaction they will ever take part in, whether they are selling or buying.

So, while it’s no surprise that the process isn’t a simple one, it’s also no surprise that our EMTAR members are well-known for being there to walk alongside their clients with excellence and care all the way to the finish line and beyond.

About EMTAR: Chartered in 1969, our Association’s 1,300+ REALTORS® are a proud part of the 36,000+ members of Tennessee REALTORS® and of the 1.5 million+ members of NAR, all working to serve the public and protect the rights of America’s property owners. EMTAR members are known not only for their unmatched real estate excellence and high ethical standards, but also for being generous, hospitable, others-focused, loyal, hardworking, and eager to help wherever and whenever help is needed.