{"id":28614,"date":"2026-02-25T00:35:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T06:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pintailcos.com\/web\/realm-updates-and-forms-changes-from-trec-meeting\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T00:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T06:35:24","slug":"realm-updates-and-forms-changes-from-trec-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pintailcos.com\/web\/realm-updates-and-forms-changes-from-trec-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"REALM Updates and Forms Changes from TREC Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"The Texas Real Estate Commission met on Feb 9 in Austin. Here are updates relevant to you.\nElections\n\nChance Brown, a REALTOR\u00ae from Cypress, was elected as Commission Vice Chair.\nKristi Davis, a REALTOR\u00ae from Carrollton, was elected as Commission Secretary.\n\nREALM Portal Update\nTREC Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz gave a status update of the REALM Portal:\n\nNew license applications are currently experiencing the most challenges. Staff are manually processing applications as quickly as possible while automated system issues are being resolved. Although progress is being made, a backlog remains and some applications are still pending. Applicants are able to check the status of their application online.\nBrokers are now able to download an excel report listing their sponsored license holders. An instructional video explaining how to do this is available at trec.texas.gov\/lms.\nThe status of licenses that did not renew in November, December, or January was discussed.\nAn upcoming data conversion is expected to restore missing team names, DBAs, and designated brokers.\nCall volume related to the new portal remains very high.\n\nAmended Rules That Passed:\nPassed unanimously (and adopted 2\/9\/26):\n\n22 TAC \u00a7533.11 (Temporary Suspension) \u2013 this new rule was recommended by the Executive Committee and would clarify the process as to when and how a temporary suspension is utilized under Tex. Occ. Code \u00a71101.662 & 1102.408. The rule requires that the Commission temporarily suspend a license when a license holder\u2019s continued practice would constitute a continued threat to the public welfare.\n22 TAC \u00a7535.214 (Real Estate Inspector License Requirements) \u2013 this amendment was recommended by the Real Estate Inspector Committee (REIC) and clarifies that qualifying education must be completed prior to beginning the Texas Practicum to ensure that applicants have foundational knowledge that can be applied to the Practicum\u2019s required inspections.\n\nProposed New Rules & Amendments:\nThese are all proposed amendments and new rules to 22 TAC \u00a7537 that were recommended by the Broker Lawyer Committee and approved by the Commission on 2\/9\/26 to be published in the Texas Register and made available for public comment:\n\nTREC 9-17 Unimproved Property Contract \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 9-18.\nTREC 11-8 Addendum for \u201cBack-Up\u201d Contract \u2013Updates the Amended Effective Date to \u201cthe date Seller delivers notice of termination of the First Contract to Buyer.\u201d Currently, the Amended Effective Date is the date Buyer receives notice of termination of the First Contract. Capitalizes Legal Holiday and Effective Date, and changes option fee to lower case. If adopted, the new number will be TREC 11-9.\nTREC 20-18 One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 20-19.\nTREC 23-19 New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction) \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 23-20.\nTREC 24-19 New Home Contract (Completed Construction) \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 24-20.\nTREC 25-16 Farm & Ranch Contract \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 25-17.\nTREC 30-17 Residential Condominium Contract (Resale) \u2013 See summary below. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 30-18.\nTREC 36-10 Addendum for Property Subject to Mandatory Membership in a Property Owners Association \u2013 Paragraph A(2) updated so that buyer is not obligated to provide subdivision information to the seller; capitalized \u201cEffective Date\u201d throughout; added the statement, \u201cIf this paragraph (C.) conflicts with any allocation of charges in the Subdivision Information, this paragraph will control.\u201d If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 36-11.\nTREC 39-10 Amendment to Contract \u2013 Updated to match the new proposed Paragraph 12 in the contracts. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 39-11.\nTREC 55-0 Seller\u2019s Disclosure Notice \u2013 The proposed amendments will be added to Paragraph 9 and arise out of the recommendation from the Sunset Commission that the seller provide additional information relating to insurance, private roads, aboveground storage tanks, and conservation easements. If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 55-1.\n\n\nTREC OP-L Addendum for Seller\u2019s Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and Lead-Based Hazards as Required by Federal Law \u2013 Changed \u201cOther Broker\u201d to \u201cBuyer\u2019s Broker\u201d and \u201cListing Broker\u201d to \u201cSeller\u2019s Broker.\u201d Updated \u201clicensees\u201d in the footer to \u201clicense holder.\u201d If adopted, the new form number will be TREC 56-0.\n\nTREC 61-0 *New* Water Notice: Seller\u2019s Disclosure about Groundwater and Surface Water Rights \u2013 This new form is the result of the recommendation from the Sunset Commission that contract forms provide prospective buyers with information on groundwater and surface water rights associated with a property. If adopted, the new form will be for mandatory\nTREC 62-0 *New* Seller\u2019s Notice to Buyer of Removal of Contingency Under Addendum for \u201cBack-Up\u201d Contract \u2013 If adopted, this new form will be for voluntary use as a notice to a buyer under a \u201cback-up\u201d contract that the first contract is terminated, and the back-up contract is now the primary contract.\n\n\n\nSummary of changes to the contracts listed above:\n\n\u201cGenerators\u201d has been added to the list of property improvements in 2.B. to reflect the increased prevalence of generators on properties. Not included in Unimproved or New Home Contracts. \nNew definition: \u201cLegal Holiday\u201d is now a defined term in 5.A.(2) to provide better clarity. \u201c\u2019Legal Holiday\u2019 means a legal holiday described in Sections 662.003(a) and 662.003(b)(4) and (6), Texas Government Code.\u201d It includes:\n\nJan 1 \u2013 New Year\u2019s Day\n3rd Monday in Jan \u2013 MLK, Jr. Day\n3rd Monday in Feb \u2013 President\u2019s Day\nLast Monday in May \u2013 Memorial Day\nJune 19 \u2013 Emancipation Day in Texas\nJuly 4 \u2013 Independence Day\n1st Monday in Sept \u2013 Labor Day\nNov 11th \u2013 Veteran\u2019s Day\n4th Thurs in Nov \u2013 Thanksgiving Day\nFriday after Thanksgiving Day\nDec 25th \u2013 Christmas Day\n\n\nGeneral changes: \u201coption fee,\u201d \u201cearnest money,\u201d and \u201ccontract\u201d are now in lower case because they are not considered defined terms. Where Seller\u2019s Disclosure Notice is referenced, changed \u201cNotice\u201d to \u201cSeller\u2019s Disclosure Notice\u201d to avoid confusion with Paragraph 21 notices.\nNew water information added in Paragraph 7 to reflect the directive from the Sunset Commission \u2013 the seller will indicate: whether the buyer has already received the Water Notice, when the seller will deliver the Water Notice, or that the seller is not required to provide the water notice.\nParagraph 12 has been reworded and reorganized \u201cin light of changes to industry practices surrounding compensation.\u201d Paragraph 12.A. has been titled \u201cExpenses\u201d and removes brokerage fees from the paragraph. \u201cBrokerage Compensation\u201d has been moved to a separate paragraph, Paragraph 12.B., and now provides an option for the buyer to contribute to the seller\u2019s broker\u2019s compensation. The excess expense paragraph has been moved to Paragraph 12.C. and reworded for clarification. Note that Paragraph 8.B. has been deleted as the statement relating to the parties\u2019 obligations to compensate their brokers is now included in Paragraph 12.B.\nNew language in 20.B. that requires parties to provide information needed by the escrow agent to file any required government reports and makes the associated costs of filing a buyer responsibility. This is in response to the new FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule reporting requirement going into effect on March 1, 2026.\nChanges to Paragraph 21 allow notices to be provided to the party or the party\u2019s agent (currently, notices are required to be provided to the party), and adds overnight courier as a delivery option.\nReorganization of Paragraph 22 so that addenda and notices are now categorized into the following categories: Financial, Leases, Additional Tests and Reports, Statutory Disclosures and Notices, and Other. References to addenda in other places in the contract were removed and consolidated in Paragraph 22.\nBroker Information page has been reorganized \u201cto better reflect industry practice.\u201d Intermediary has been moved to a separate section on the page.\nUpdated references for better clarity \u2013 \u201cListing Broker\u201d is now \u201cSeller\u2019s Broker\u201d and \u201cOther Broker\u201d is now \u201cBuyer\u2019s Broker.\u201d\nThe informational disclosure of broker compensation at the bottom of Page 10 has been removed to help eliminate confusion. Doesn\u2019t apply to Farm and Ranch Contract. \n\nNext Steps:\n\nThe proposed rules and amendments will be published in the Texas Register and on TREC\u2019s website for public comment.\nThe Broker Lawyer Committee will meet again on April 10th, when they will consider public comments received. If recommended by the BLC for adoption, the Commission will make a decision at the May 4th Commission meeting.\nNote that the May 4th Commission meeting will be held at the Marriott West Loop in Houston.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Texas Real Estate Commission met on Feb 9 in Austin. Here are updates relevant to you. Elections Chance Brown, a REALTOR\u00ae from Cypress, was elected as Commission Vice Chair. Kristi Davis, a REALTOR\u00ae from Carrollton, was elected as Commission Secretary. REALM Portal Update TREC Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz gave a status update of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t