The Texas Real Estate Commission’s Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC)  met on July 8. Here are the highlights.

Recommended Course Outline Changes

The meeting opened with members reviewing public comment and recommending the Commission adopt changes to the course approval forms for Principles of Real Estate I and II, and Law of Agency. These changes will be considered at the Commission's August 19 meeting. 

Record-breaking attendance made the TREC Meeting in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) a standout and marks the Commission's second out-of-Austin meeting. Branching out of the Texas Capitol Complex in Austin—where TREC is headquartered—is an initiative that began last year in an effort to connect with more license holders and Texans. Houston was the first stop in 2023 with roughly 80 attendees.

They are still happening: Real estate leasing scams continue to pose a threat to property owners in Texas, especially in the greater Houston area, prompting the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) to issue warnings such as this press release sent to more than a dozen news outlets—most of them based in the southeastern part of the state—including The Houston Chronicle,

To reach more Texans in person, the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) hits the road every May for the second quarterly meeting of the year. This time Commissioners are headed to Dallas-Fort Worth.

Whether you are applying for a new license, renewing your license, setting up a business entity registration, and more, the best and most secure way to pay Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) fees is through the agency’s online services portal. Plus, you can pay online whenever is convenient for you—the tool is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

The following visual explainers show you how to securely make your payments online.

The Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee (TREIC) met July 17. We received public comments on new items and some comments on some agenda items. It is good to see stakeholders taking an interest in the process and providing input more frequently.

One public comment expressed concern that inspectors are being strongly encouraged to pay brokerages for the opportunity visit their offices or even just talk to their agents.

The 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, began January 10, 2023, and ends May 29, 2023. This session opened with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing Board (TALCB) following 358 bills relevant to the administration of the agency.  A much smaller number will become law, one of relevance to Texas real estate license holders.

To reach more license holders, the Texas Real Estate Commission broke away from its Austin headquarters for the first time ever to meet in Houston on May 16. It was TREC’s second meeting of 2023. There were more than 80 attendees.

Welcoming New Commissioners, Thanking the Outgoing

TREC’s Chair, Scott Kesner, opened the meeting with a welcome to TREC’s newest Commissioners: Chance Brown, Renee Harvey Lowe, and Stuart Bernstein.

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.