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Scam Alert! Make Sure You Know If A Message Is From Us

UPDATE: Due to a recent resurgence of SPAM messages being sent out to our license holders, we wanted to remind you of these tips to help keep your information secure!

Scammers or Spammers sometimes try to copy and email and text from messages from TREC or TALCB to trick you into providing personal information. We know this can be confusing and frustrating, and we want to help make sure you don't fall victim to these schemes.

Make Sure Paragraph 21 is Filled Out

The One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), like many contracts, contains a “Notices” provision. In that TREC contract, the provision is in Paragraph 21. This needs to be filled out so the parties know where a notice should be sent or delivered to be effective. A license holder should remind their client how important this provision is and ensure, to the extent possible, that it gets filled out fully and accurately.

 

TREC's Advertising Rules - What You Need To Know

The effective date of the new rules is May 15, 2018, and we want to make sure everyone is thoroughly prepared for the changes.

Background

These rules are the result of years of work by the Commission and key stakeholders focusing on clarity of advertisements for consumers with the least restrictions on license holders. The rules also update, interpret and balance revised statutory requirements supporting free commerce and business competition with those protecting the consumer from misleading advertisements.

2017 Legislative Update from TREC

Memorial Day was the last day of the 85th Legislative session. Several bills were filed this session relating to the agency and its license holders but not all of those bills made it through the process.  Following is a summary of bills that passed both houses of the Legislature and have direct effect on license holders.

Reporting Visible and Present Indications of Adverse Performance in a Foundation

Section 535.228(a) of the Texas Administrative Code (Foundations) requires an inspector to render a written opinion as to the performance of the foundation. Many inspectors understand this to mean one of two things; the foundation is either performing or it is not performing. But sometimes the inspector is unable to determine this with sufficient confidence.

Residential Service Companies (Home Warranties)

Residential Service Companies, more commonly known as Home Warranty Companies, are licensed by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) as part of its Service Contract Providers program. These companies offer residential service contracts (also known as home warranties) to consumers for services related to the mechanical failure or failure of an appliance or household system due to normal wear and tear of an appliance or household system. These contracts are typically offered at the point of sale of a home.

Watch Out for Rental Fraud Scams in Texas

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,

ESAC reviews rule language, recommends 30-hour brokerage course for sales agents

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.