A new rule effective earlier this summer sets a timeline of two calendar days to respond to parties to a real estate transaction you’re involved in. Here’s what you need to know.
535.157, Obligation to Respond Timely
June 11, 2023
During the August 2023 TREC Meeting, the Commission adopted TREC Rule 535.46, Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee, establishing a new committee to advise the Commission on issues relating to broker responsibility. The Commission is seeking to appoint nine members to begin service on January 1, 2024.
During the August 2023 TREC Meeting, commissioners considered rule changes up for adoption, new proposed changes, and conducted emergency rulemaking resulting from the 88th Texas Legislature. Read on for what happened.
Three Broker-Lawyer Committee members were recognized for their service:
The Commission in May adopted revisions to the Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management course approval forms. Beginning October 1, 2023, qualifying education providers may begin submitting course application forms to offer these revised courses.
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 Texas Real Estate Commission's Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC) is accepting applications to fill two education member positions by real estate instructors or owners of real estate schools, accredited by the Commission, that provide qualifying or continuing education.
Effective October 1, 2023, sales agents renewing their license for the first time—both active and inactive—are required to complete an approved 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course as part of their 90 hours of Sales Agent Apprentice Education (SAE). This change was adopted during the May Commission meeting.
The Texas Real Estate Commission’s Broker-Lawyer Committee (BLC) met June 9 to discuss legislative changes and other form comments. Here are some highlights from the meeting.
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.
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Happy New Year! As we return recharged from the holidays and gear up for the season, there are some key items to keep us busy in the very near future. So let’s dive right in…
As we wrap up the calendar year, I want to again thank everyone who has attended meetings over the last year, both Inspector Committee meetings and Commission meetings.
The Commission met on Thursday November 15 at the State Capitol. It was the longest meeting we have had in my memory, and it was also enormously fruitful for clarifying some policy expectations.
November is upon us and the football season in Texas is more than half done. What happens in the coming weeks makes all the difference for which teams make the playoffs. Some teams are getting better and others are struggling. I hope all your favorites are “growing stronger” as the season matures.
When I was named the Deputy Executive Director of TREC and the Deputy Commissioner of TALCB in August of this year, part of my expanded role at the agency was to focus on the agency operations, particularly the frontline customer service aspects of licensing and call center performance.
The agency has had quite a busy summer and the fall continues to bring a steady stream of challenges. As we continue working through all the issues which arise, especially through the Sunset process, know that we remain fully committed to exploring every effective option available to improve this agency’s performance. First and foremost, our mission has not changed and our dedication to accomplish it in the most effective, efficient and transparent manner is shared by our policymakers and o
I want to personally thank all of the inspectors who took time out of their schedules to make the trip to Austin to attend the August 13th Texas Real Estate Commission meeting in person. I know that your time is valuable and the TREI Committee and I always value your input and appreciate your continued interest and involvement.
The extended heat of August has been relieved a bit by rains in early September. I hope the typical market frenzy of summer has moderated a bit so you can focus on your professional development as well.
The agency has committed to implement a variety of measures to improve our customer service. This is a quick review of what we have done so far and what additional steps remain to be implemented to enhance our responsiveness.
The Inspector Committee has had a busy couple of months since it last met in February. On March 26th, the Inspector Consumer Issues Working Group met to review issues regarding inspector financial responsibility and insurance requirements and to also make recommendations for the Committee to consider. In addition to the Inspector Committee members, the Working Group included Paul Roebuck representing TPREIA and Mike Hammel representing TAREI.
At the Commission Meeting on Monday, August 13, 2018, the Commission adopted changes to the advertising rules (§535.155) allowing Broker team names to include the term "realty," so long as the other requirements for team names are met.
Good news! TREC and TALCB have implemented a new tool to improve customer service. A new call tree system has been added to our main customer services lines. This new system allows callers to select from a list of options that will direct them to the best available person to address their issue to get the answers or help they need.
In early April, the Texas Real Estate Commission publicly apologized to Texans for the unacceptable quality of our customer service efforts and we promised to take a number of steps to do better. This is a progress report on what we have done so far and what additional steps remain to be implemented to restore and improve our service.
The mission and performance of the Texas Real Estate Commission and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board are under review by the Legislature as required under the Texas Sunset Act. The Act provides that the Sunset Commission, composed of legislators and public members, periodically evaluate a state agency to determine if the agency is still needed and to explore ways to ensure that the agency's funds are well spent. Based on the recommendations of the Sunset Commission, the T
The Texas Real Estate Commission takes pride in providing high quality education and licensing services, and effective consumer protection across Texas. In recent months, there have been significant issues with the quality of customer service we are providing to consumers and to our license holders. I take personal responsibility for addressing these issues.
The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of members to the Broker Responsibility Working Group (BRWG). The BRWG reviews experience requirements and role responsibilities for brokers and makes recommendations to the Commission based on its findings. Members will meet four or five times in the next 10 months to complete the charge given to them by the Commission.
Join us for our Agency’s 2nd annual Texas Residential Realty Summit. This annual conference focuses on current issues affecting the successful closing of single family residential transactions transaction from an interdisciplinary perspective.
AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the recent appointments of six new committee members to the Education Standards Advisory Committee. Sarah Norman of Bryan, Jason Woodward of Amarillo, Felicia Peters of Grandbury, Scott Kesner of El Paso, Rob Cook of Houston, and public member Marcela Gomez of Austin have been appointed as members, with terms set to expire in 2019.
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Real Estate Commission and the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (the Agency) extended all deadlines for two months for all license holders and applicants statewide with license expiration or application deadlines in August and September. This extension ended on October 31, 2017.
AUSTIN, TX - Governor Abbott has appointed three new members to the Texas Real Estate Commission; broker members, Jan Fite Miller and DeLora Wilkinson and a public member Micheal Williams with terms set to expire January 31, 2023. These new members will join the Commission for its next regular quarterly meeting in Austin on November 13, 2017.
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