The Texas Real Estate Commission's Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC) met April 3.

ESAC addressed comments received regarding proposed changes to 22 §TAC 535.64, Content Requirements for Qualifying Real Estate Courses.  TREC staff clarified that the rule proposal simply cleans up the rule language to remove the references to topics required for each course, rather, pointing specifically to each qualifying course approval form to define content. 

The Texas Real Estate Commission is stepping out of its Austin headquarters to pay Houston a visit. On May 16, the Commission will meet at 9 a.m. inside the Century Ballroom II of the DoubleTree by Hilton-Houston Greenway Plaza. 

The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to welcome three new members. Chance Brown, Renee Harvey Lowe, and Stuart Bernstein were confirmed by the Texas Senate on April 26, 2023. Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed them for terms set to expire on January 31, 2029. 

Harvey Lowe and Brown will both serve as broker members, Bernstein will serve as a public member of TREC.

The Inspector Committee met on April 18, and there were a number of items that were discussed. Starting off the meeting, Mike Morgan was elected as the Vice Chair to fill the vacancy from Scott Regan. 

The Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee (TREIC) met April 18.

The Broker Responsibility Working Group (BRWG) met April 12. Members reviewed public comment submitted in response to a new proposed rule, 535.157 — Obligation to Respond Timely, and proposed changes to 535.2 — Broker Responsibility Rule. The group also continued discussion regarding the difference between a broker and a sponsoring broker, and whether there should be additional education requirements for sponsoring brokers.

Around 1% of Texas Real Estate Commission license holders are the subject of a complaint, and in 2022, slightly more than 5% of all complaints received by TREC were related to advertising issues.

Many advertising-related complaints can be handled easily, from adding missing brokerage information on for sale signs to adding missing required links on a license holder’s website. Because of these simple remedies, TREC is launching the Advertising Compliance Program, which will streamline the processing of complaints that deal only with advertising violations.

It sounds like an ideal scenario if you’re a landlord or listing agent for a residential lease: A licensed sales agent submits a prospective tenant’s application to you with proof of a clean background check and great credit report. But is that tenant’s agent making life easier for you, or is it a scam?

A Rise in Leasing Fraud

The Texas Real Estate Commission’s Enforcement Division is urging license holders to do their own research to avoid being part of the rise in complaint investigations involving leasing fraud.

An unexpected illness, a new opportunity, a change in the market, or a change in your personal life: These are all common reasons why Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) license holders may take a break from the business.

Whether your break is planned or unexpected, setting your sales agent, broker, or inspector license to inactive status before your renewal or renewing as inactive is the best move if you want return to the real estate business in the future. Here’s why.

The Texas Real Estate Commission met February 13 in Austin. In addition to hearing updates from TREC staff, the Commission elected Mark Woodruff as vice chair and Ben Peña as secretary. Read on for information on adopted and proposed rule changes.