The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) convened on August 11 for its first meeting under the leadership of newly appointed Chair Mark Woodroof, who represents Houston. The session also marked the initial participation of Broker Members Kristi Davis from Carrollton and J.B. Goodwin from Austin.
During the meeting, Commissioner Ben Peña was nominated as vice chair of the Commission. He will serve alongside Chair Woodroof and Secretary Chance Brown on the TREC Executive Committee.
Chair Woodroof announced committee appointments, including Ben Peña as chair of the Enforcement Committee with Stuart Bernstein and Renee Harvey Lowe; himself as chair of the Budget Committee with J.B. Goodwin and Stuart Bernstein; and Ben Peña as chair of the TREC and TALCB Joint Audit Committee with J.B. Goodwin. TALCB Chair Chance Bolton is also a member of this audit committee.
Liaison roles were assigned to several commissioners: Leslie Lerner for the Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee, Kristi Davis for the Education Standards Advisory Committee, Chance Brown and Leslie Lerner for the Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee, Renee Harvey Lowe for 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 to the Texas Real Estate Broker-Lawyer Committee (BLC), while Kandi Luensmann was appointed as a broker member and Marcus Phipps as an alternate.
The service of outgoing BLC members SJ Swanson, Leigh York, and Aimee Slusher—each having served 12 years—was recognized by commissioners.
Executive Director Chelsea Buchholtz provided an update on TREC’s upcoming REALM Portal. According to Buchholtz, “It will allow users to provide the agency with information entirely online, eliminating the need for paper forms and checks.” License holders are advised to consider renewing early using current systems due to this transition. Updates about REALM are available at trec.texas.gov/lms or through TREC Advisor at trec.texas.gov/newsletters.
Most adopted rule changes are related to implementation of this new license management system or result from quadrennial rule review mandated by state law. This process requires regular evaluation of rules’ necessity across various chapters on a rolling basis.
One amendment adopted in anticipation of online payments allows TREC to collect fees required by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), regardless of payment method used.
Changes recommended by advisory committees include modifications in student identity verification methods for qualifying course exams, removal of proctoring requirements except where preferred by providers or students, elimination of closed-book exam mandates, and similar adjustments for inspector continuing education delivered via distance learning.
Several proposals presented during this meeting are now open for public comment through TREC’s online tool until at least November’s next meeting. These proposals reflect advisory committee recommendations or recent legislative changes:
– Proposed broker licensing changes would permit up to 300 hours out of 630 total real estate education hours to be substituted based on experience points above minimum requirements; double experience points needed from 360 to 720; limit bachelor’s degree credit toward education requirements; change property management experience calculations; and modify brokerage management point models.
– Form changes respond primarily to Senate Bill 1968 (effective January 1, 2026), which introduces non-representation status in TRELA and updates written agreement protocols.
– References to subagency have been removed throughout forms since SB1968 eliminates it from TRELA.
– Following Senate Bill 2349 (effective September 1, 2025), temporary residential leases no longer require landlords’ flood notices.
– New water rights disclosure forms have been drafted per Sunset Commission directives following a legislative review.
– Additional seller disclosure notice revisions cover conservation easements, insurance disclosures regarding windstorm coverage, storage tanks information among other updates.
– General contract form edits clarify legal terms such as “Legal Holiday,” standardize terminology usage (“option fee,” “earnest money,” etc.), remove compensation disclosures between brokers deemed confusing by stakeholders, eliminate “subagent” terminology ahead of statutory phase-out in TRELA effective in 2026 [see https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=SB1968], reorganize formatting per industry standards [see https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/meetings].
Senate Bill 1968 brings further changes effective January 1, 2026:
– Brokers must provide business addresses/phone numbers publicly via TREC’s website but may use P.O. Boxes or brokerage addresses instead if desired.
– All broker applicants or renewing brokers must take a Broker Responsibility Course each renewal period regardless if they sponsor agents.
– Associated brokers must update affiliations directly with TREC; brokers may affirm these links but responsibility rests with associated brokers.
– Brokers will receive notifications when complaints are filed against associated brokers though no details about complaint content will be shared unless pursued independently.
Materials from this meeting—including agendas and recordings—are available online. The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for November 3, 2025.
