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  • What You May Not Know About TREC

    Scott KesnerIn recent months, I’ve had the privilege of presenting alongside Texas Real Estate Commission Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz to license holders around Texas, many who are REALTORS®.

  • Notice: Phone Outage August 10

    Multiple state agencies, including Texas Real Estate Commission and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board, are experiencing technical difficulties with the services we use to handle phone calls. The phone system is currently down as the Texas Department of Information Resources troubleshoots the issue.

  • Why TREC Maintains an HOA Management Certificate Database

    The 87th Texas Legislature passed a bill requiring the Texas Real Estate Commission to collect management certificates and amended management certificates from property owners’ associations—also known as homeowners associations (HOAs)—and make the certificates publicly available online.

  • TREC’s Role in Texas Real Estate

    "How do we raise the bar of professionalism?"

    "We need more broker responsibility."

    "I work with people on the other side of a contract who don’t know what they are doing. They don’t even know the name of their broker!" 

  • Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee Discusses Single-Item Inspections, Two-Day Report Delivery Clarification, and Expired Licenses

    The Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee (TREIC) met April 18 and talked about hot topic issues, including how inspectors must handle single-item inspections, clarifications to 535.222, Inspection Reports, and expired licenses. Read on for more takeaways.

  • Don’t Want to Retake the Licensing Exam? Make Sure You Renew Before This Deadline

    It’s been more than two years since the pandemic changed the real estate landscape and how you do business, and your license renewal may not be on your mind. But now is the time to ensure your license hasn’t been expired for more than two years, which requires you to take extra steps to renew.

  • Top Takeaways from the Latest TREC Meeting

    The Texas Real Estate Commission met May 2, 2022. In addition to hearing updates from TREC staff, the Commission contemplated a proposed new flood disclosure form for leases, non-substantive proposed changes from the quadrennial rule review, and adopted a rule change for easement or right-of-way (ERW) agents.

  • Update to the Qualifying Education Course Posting System

    TREC is pleased to announce an update to the Posting System that allows all providers of real estate Qualifying Education (QE) courses to post course credit directly into the agency’s system of record. The student must have a TREC real estate sales agent or broker license number to award qualifying credit.

  • Broker Responsibility Working Group Recommends Response Times for Brokers and Sales Agents, Increased Oversight of Sales Agents’ First-Time Brokerage Activity

    The Broker Responsibility Working Group (BRWG) met April 13 and made two proposed recommendations that will be discussed during the next TREC Workshop on May 3. Feedback from the TREC Workshop discussion will be part of the next BRWG meeting in July.

  • Education Standards Advisory Committee Recap: Broker-Agent Relationship Education, Future Review of Property Management Course

    The TREC Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC) met April 4. Members of the committee made plans to review the qualifying course outline for property management and discussed how to incorporate education on the broker-agent relationship in existing courses.

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  • From the Chair - Inspector Committee - May 2020

    The Inspector Committee held its regularly scheduled meeting on April 13th. Due to social distancing rules throughout the state, the meeting was held via teleconference. This was the first time in my tenure that this has happened. A huge thank you goes out to TREC staff for getting this put together quickly to help us all stay safe while still getting the important work done that we need to.

  • From the Chair - May 2020

    This spring has been one of unimaginable changes for the agency, industry, and the world. COVID-19 and all that has come with it continues to make ripples throughout the country. TREC staff have been hard at work to keep things moving at the agency while continuing to provide excellent customer service and timely processing of applications.

  • From the Chair - April 2020 - Inspector Committee

    The last few months have seen some unprecedented events happen in the world around us.  The COVID-19 virus has brought much of the world to a screeching halt.  In the interest of keeping everyone as safe as possible, the meeting of the full Inspector Committee scheduled for April 13th will not be conducted at the TREC building in Austin.  The meeting will continue as scheduled, but it will be done via teleconference.  Please check the TREC website for more details on how to call in

  • From the Executive Director - April 2020

    The month of March was one for the record books for us all. We started the month learning about the “Coronavirus” and by the end of the month, life as we know it was monumentally altered. Our staff came together quickly to orchestrate a colossal shift of our workforce to remote work. Our team remains energetic and determined to support license holders.

  • From the Chair - Inspector Committee - January 2020

    The Inspector Committee met recently at the Texas Real Estate Commission headquarters in Austin.  The committee welcomed its newest member, Scott Regan, to the Inspector Committee.  Scott comes with over 15 years of experience in the field as an inspector, HVAC licensee, plumbing licensee and educator.  We look forward to Scott’s impact on the committee.

  • From the Executive Director - January 2020

    Change is in the air!  A new year, a new decade, and of course changes at TREC too.  I start the year and this new position as TREC’s executive director with great expectations and excitement for the future.  My predecessor, Doug Oldmixon’s presence will continue through March, which is very helpful to me and our agency through this leadership transition.  I am grateful for the gradual transition and Doug’s willingness to impart his knowledge.  Doug will leave behind a legacy of strong leader

  • From the Executive Director - December 2019

    December is upon us and the Holiday Season has begun in earnest. From our agency to your offices and homes, we wish you all the very best of blessings of the Season and a prosperous New Year in 2020. At TREC & TALCB we are celebrating the selection of our next Executive Director and Commissioner who will take on those responsibilities effective January 1st.

  • From the Chair - December 2019

    I find it hard to believe it is almost the end of 2019 already! We have been so busy that the time truly seems to have flown by. The Holiday Season is now upon us and we are looking forward to the New Year with great anticipation. Let me wish each of you all the very best during this special time of year!

  • From the Chair - Inspector Committee - December 2019

    The newly proposed process for qualifying inspector education was up for adoption at the November TREC meeting.  However, the Commission postponed consideration to adopt these rules at the request of the Governor’s office. Senate Bill 1995 was passed last legislative session that creates a division within the Governor’s office to review all agency proposed rules that affect market competition before the rule is adopted or implemented.

  • From the Deputy Executive Director - Inspectors - November 2019

    It’s been a busy fall for TREC and the Inspector Committee. We continue to implement the Sunset recommendations and statutory changes, most of which will be considered for adoption at the November 19th Commission meeting, including the amendments to the inspector qualifying education rules. If adopted by the Commission at the November meeting, these new requirements will take effect on May 1, 2020.

  • TREC Chair Named Texas REALTOR® of the Year

    AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to announce TREC Chair, R. Scott Kesner, has been named Texas REALTOR® of the Year at the Texas REALTORS® (TR) annual Winter Meeting on MoScottnday.

  • TREC Announces Appointments to the Education Standards Advisory Committee

    AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Real Estate Commission (the Commission) is pleased to announce the recent appointments of two new committee members and two reappointments to the Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC). Public member, Rick Albers of Austin and educator member, Candy Cooke of Round Rock, have been appointed; and broker members, Rob Cook of Houston and Sarah Norman of Bryan have been reappointed to ESAC, with terms set to expire in December 2021.

  • Commission Announces New Executive Director

    The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to announce Chelsea Buchholtz as Executive Director of TREC effective January 1, 2020. She will be the first female executive director in TREC’s history. The Executive Director also serves as the Commissioner of the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB), who participated significantly in the selection process. Ms. Buchholtz currently serves as the Commission’s General Counsel.

  • Future of the Plumbing Board and its Impact on Inspectors

    UPDATE:

  • Barbara Russell and Jason Hartgraves Confirmed as TREC Commissioners

    AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the confirmation of broker member Barbara Russell and public member Jason Hartgraves as new commissioners for terms to expire on January 31, 2025.  Governor Abbott nominated them to the post in March and they were confirmed by Senate vote on May 1st.  Broker member Scott Kesner was confirmed and appointed as Chair of the Commissi

  • New TREC Chair Appointed By Governor Abbott

    The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to announce that Governor Abbott has named Scott Kesner of El Paso as Chair of the Commission.  On April 24th Mr. Kesner was confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Commission and his appointment as the Chair is effective April 25, 2019 and expires at the pleasure of the Governor. Mr. Kesner is the broker and owner of Century 21 The Edge with offices in El Paso, Midland and Snyder.

  • TREC Welcomes New General Counsel

    AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to welcome Chelsea Buchholtz as General Counsel of the Texas Real Estate Commission Effective March 2019.

  • TREC Announces Appointments to Inspector Advisory Committee

    Austin, TX – The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of three new inspector committee members and two re-appointments to the committee. Mike Morgan of Brownwood was appointed as a new inspector member and Robert John Daehn of Aransas Pass and Dave Motley of Garland were appointed as public members. Lee Warren of Farmersville and public member Barbara Evans of Fort Worth were reappointed.

  • TREC No Longer Accepting ACH Payments

    After careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue the ACH payment option for our online services.   Effective April 1, 2019, all payments submitted through our online services will require a debit or credit card.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 

  • ESAC Appointments Announced

    AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the recent appointments of seven new committee members to the Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC). Broker members: Mary Lou Henry, McAllen, Marion Napoleon, Grand Prairie, Ruben Peña, San Antonio, and Lori Solecki, Colleyville and educators: Scott Hilton, Houston, Kellie Stokes, Lewisville, and Kelea Youngblood, Austin, have all been appointed as members with terms set to expire in December 2020.

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  • Providing Exam Proctoring Information to Your Students

    Many education providers have opted for live and in-person proctoring for final exams. 

  • TREC Complaints and Education Providers

    What methods do you have in place to ensure continued compliance with Commission rules? Do you, or someone on your staff, regularly review your advertising materials and website content? Do you know what you are advertising?  Familiarizing yourself and your staff with TREC rules is the key to staying in compliance. TREC investigates complaints directed to the agency. Sources of such complaints may come from students, your competitors or other agency stakeholders. Remember, as an agency charge

  • ESAC Chair Receives Distinguished Award

    TREC is pleased to announce that the Chair of our Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC), Susan Jones has received the Larry Outlaw Education Excellence Award at this year's Real Estate Education Association (REEA) conference.

  • License Exams Now Available On Military Installations

    The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to announce that the Texas real estate sales agent, broker, and inspector licensure exams are now conveniently available at over 200 Pearson VUE test centers as well as on military installations across the globe for service members, spouses, dependents, and contractors with authorized base access.

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