The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) convened on August 11 for its latest meeting, which marked the first session led by Chair Mark Woodroof of Houston. The meeting also welcomed new Broker Members Kristi Davis of Carrollton and J.B. Goodwin of Austin.
During the session, Commissioner Ben Peña was nominated as vice chair, joining Chair Woodroof and Secretary Chance Brown on the TREC Executive Committee. Chair Woodroof announced appointments to several committees: Ben Peña will chair the Enforcement Committee with Stuart Bernstein and Renee Harvey Lowe as members; Woodroof himself will lead the Budget Committee alongside J.B. Goodwin and Bernstein; and Peña will also chair the TREC and TALCB Joint Audit Committee with Goodwin. TALCB Chair Chance Bolton is a member of this audit committee.
Other liaison roles were assigned, including Leslie Lerner to the Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee, Kristi Davis to the Education Standards Advisory Committee, Chance Brown and Leslie Lerner to the Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee, Renee Harvey Lowe to the Texas Real Estate Broker-Lawyer Committee, and Kristi Davis as ex-officio to the Texas A&M University Texas Real Estate Research Center Advisory Committee.
Ron Walker was reappointed as a broker member to the Texas Real Estate Broker-Lawyer Committee (BLC), with Kandi Luensmann named as a broker member and Marcus Phipps as an alternate. Outgoing BLC members SJ Swanson, Leigh York, and Aimee Slusher were recognized for their twelve years of service.
Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz provided an update on the upcoming Real Estate and Appraiser License Management (REALM) Portal. This online system aims to streamline license management by eliminating paper forms and checks. Status updates are available at trec.texas.gov/lms or through subscription at trec.texas.gov/newsletters.
Several rule changes were adopted during this meeting. Many relate to preparations for launching REALM or result from quadrennial rule review—a process required by state law that ensures regulations remain necessary or up-to-date. Amendments include notifying users that online payments may incur fees required by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), regardless of payment method.
Changes affecting education standards were also approved. These allow student identity verification using various technologies while addressing privacy concerns over personal data. Proctoring requirements for qualifying course exams have been removed—though proctors can still be used if preferred—and closed book exam mandates have been lifted. Similar adjustments apply to inspector non-elective continuing education courses delivered via distance learning.
Several proposed rule changes are now open for public comment through TREC’s online tool before potential adoption at its November meeting. Recommendations from advisory committees and recent legislative actions informed these proposals.
Among them are significant revisions to broker education and experience requirements suggested by the Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee (BRAC). If adopted:
– Up to 300 hours of real estate education could substitute for experience points above minimum licensing requirements.
– The required experience points would double from 360 to 720.
– Bachelor’s degree credit would be limited to 300 hours toward real estate-related education.
– Property management experience would be calculated per property per year rather than just per property.
– Brokerage management/delegated supervisor experience would shift to a points-per-transaction model.
Form change proposals include updates due to Senate Bill 1968—effective January 1, 2026—which introduces non-representation status in certain situations under The Real Estate License Act (TRELA) along with written agreement requirements. References to subagency have been removed following its elimination from TRELA under this bill.
Senate Bill 2349 exempts temporary residential leases starting September 1, 2025 from providing landlord flood notices; related forms have been updated accordingly.
Following recommendations from both legislative review bodies and advisory commissions, new disclosures are proposed regarding groundwater rights, conservation easements, insurance types, storage tanks, windstorm coverage, among others in seller disclosure documents.
Additional contract form modifications clarify definitions such as “Legal Holiday,” adjust terminology around earnest money and contracts for consistency across documents, add references for water rights notice forms where applicable, remove certain compensation disclosures between brokers that previously caused confusion, replace terms like “Listing Broker” with “Seller’s Broker,” eliminate outdated references such as “subagent,” reorganize pages for clarity based on current industry practice, and update related contracts accordingly.
Legislative changes effective January 1, 2026 will require brokers and sales agents to provide business addresses or phone numbers publicly via TREC’s website—allowing use of P.O Boxes or brokerage addresses if desired—and mandate all brokers complete a Broker Responsibility Course upon application or renewal regardless of sponsorship status. Associated brokers must identify their affiliations directly with TREC; this information will appear in public profiles on trec.texas.gov.
Additionally, when complaints are filed against associated brokers—as opposed to sales agents—brokers will receive notification but not specific details about complaint content or resolution unless obtained directly from those involved parties themselves.
Meeting materials including agendas or recordings can be accessed online ahead of TREC’s next scheduled meeting on November 3, 2025.
