The Texas Real Estate Commission Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC) met October 3 and discussed changes to the qualifying course outline for Property Management and making the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course a mandatory course as part of required SAE.

Don’t Offer a CE Course After its Course Approval Expiration Date

The committee briefly discussed disciplinary actions related to education providers offering continuing education courses after the course’s approval from TREC has expired. This is a violation of Rule 535.65, Responsibilities and Operations of Providers of Qualifying Courses.

Possible Changes to the Qualifying Course Outline for Property Management

The Broker Responsibility Working Group (BRWG) recommended that ESAC open the Property Management qualifying course outline for review. Section 1101.003, Qualifying Real Estate Courses, states the property management course must include

• The role of a property manager
• Landlord policies
• Operational guidelines
• Leases
• Lease negotiations
• Tenant relations
• Maintenance
• Reports
• Habitability laws
• The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. Section 3601 et seq.).

Since commercial property management is not a course topic required by statute and aside from leasing, is not an area regulated by the Commission, members discussed the possibility of striking a portion of the Commercial Property Management section—keeping some basics—to reallocate that time to other areas of the course outline that need more emphasis.

The committee also discussed renaming the course to Residential Property Management to underscore the relevant content of the course and the Commission’s jurisdiction. TREC staff will review the recommendations and present a draft course approval form for the committee to review at its January 2023 meeting.

Recommendation to Require Qualifying Real Estate Brokerage Course in SAE Hours

The committee discussed making the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course a mandatory course as part of the SAE requirement and agreed it would be beneficial for sales agents and ultimately consumers. TREC staff is drafting a rule to present to the committee at its January 2023 meeting.

Where to Find Meeting Materials

Watch a video recording of the meeting and find meeting materials on the meeting page.

Upcoming Meeting Information

The next meeting of the Education Standards Advisory Committee is January 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. CT and the committee will continue its discussion of pre-licensing course completion time frames and exam pass rates, as well as the draft qualifying course outline for Property Management.

In accordance with normal Commission practice, any meeting materials will be available on the TREC website before the meeting. To participate by providing public comment during the meeting, contact general.counsel@trec.texas.gov by 5 p.m. CT on January 8 along with the agenda item number you wish to speak on. If you are unable to attend the meeting live, you can email your public comments instead.