18-Hr. TX 2024-2025 CE Package

Texas real estate license holders should be conversant with the latest laws and standard practice updates that impact the real estate industry in Texas. This course comprises a comprehensive discussion about various laws, regulations, and guidelines directly affecting license holders’ practice of real estate. Scenarios and case studies are woven throughout the content to illustrate practical applications of pertinent points, as well as consequences when a license holder fails to comply. 

This four-hour course provides license holders with a strong foundation in the latest legal and ethical procedures. Without such, license holders can place themselves—and their clients—in risky circumstances. 

Course highlights include:  

• TREC rules and updates 
• TREC advisory committees 
• Key legislative updates from the 88th Texas Legislature 
• Promulgated contract form and addenda updates 
• Broker-Lawyer Committee and TREC contract forms 
• Mandatory vs. voluntary use of TREC contract forms 
• History of fair housing in Texas 
• Fair housing complaint trends and investigations 
• Bias and why it matters 
• Steering 
• Appraisal bias and additional protections 
• Fair housing advertising and marketing prohibitions 
• Fair housing best practices 
• Rental properties and disability rights 
• What Would You Do? Texas fair housing edition 
• Assistance animal requests 
• Fair housing law updates from the 88th Texas Legislature 

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Legal Update I and II courses are four hours of curriculum each. This online course, Legal Update II, includes four main topics: agency, TREC disclosures, representing veterans and military service members, and enforcement, case studies, and commission practices.

This four-hour course reinforces the Canons of Professional Ethics and Conduct and the fiduciary duties license holders owe to consumers, reviews the Information About Brokerage Services form and Consumer Protection Notice, considers benefits of VA loans for both buyers and sellers, and emphasizes the importance of compliance with TREC rules, advertising guidelines, and best practices.

Course highlights include:

• Chapter 531 TX Canons of Professional Ethics and Conduct
• Texas agency relationships
• Commission conversations
• The Information About Brokerage Services form
• The Consumer Protection Notice
• History of the VA loan
• Benefits and considerations about the VA loan for buyers and sellers
• Texas Veterans Land Board Lending Program
• TREC complaint process and common violations
• TREC’s Advertising Compliance Program
• TREC case studies and best practices
• TREC’s priorities

As a Texas real estate license holder, competence is incumbent on you, whether it’s geographical competence, property type competence, or competence within your niche. Every transaction, no matter where the property is located, what type of property is being transferred, or what market segment is being served, involves contracts. You might say contractual competence is at the top of your competency pyramid. The view from up here can be daunting if you don’t know what you’re doing. But after this course you will. You’ll have command of promulgated forms, contract rule and laws, contract formation, deadlines and contingencies. 

Course highlights include:

• How the Texas License Act applies to contracts
• License holder duties related to promulgated forms
• How to avoid the unauthorized practice of law
• Essential elements for a binding contract
• How and when oral negotiation is appropriate
• How to handle document irregularities
• How to avoid common contract mistakes
• Deadlines and the difference between time is of the essence and "reasonable time"
• Common contract contingencies and their role in the real estate transaction

Whether for a buyer or seller, the comparative market analysis, properly done, can mean several thousands extra dollars in their pockets, and can determine whether a deal can be struck at all. But because it’s such a well-worn tool, it’s tempting for a licensee to get complacent with the CMA, and “phone it in.”

Don’t be that licensee!

This course covers the how-tos of a professionally researched  comparative market analysis.          

Course Highlights:

• The three-step approach to market analyses: the market, the property, the numbers
• Sources for subject property data and market data
• How to prioritize criteria when selecting comparables
• How to adjust and homogenize selected comparables 
• How to weight selected comparables when selecting a list price range
• How to use expired and active listings to inform pricing strategy
• Market readiness strategies for the seller and the property
• Listing strategies
• Negotiating strategies for any market (creating win-win transactions)

Whether you're representing a seller who's listing a high-efficiency home or working with a buyer to find one, it's important to be able to recognize a home's green features and the value they bring to the property. This means understanding the benefit of big-ticket green items such as solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar water heaters, or even energy-efficient windows, as well as knowing the value in quick-and-easy updates like low-flow faucets, LED lighting, and smart thermostats. It also means knowing the difference between HERS and HES and SEER and LEED. Of course, greening up a home isn't cheap. Letting your clients know about available federal and state programs and incentives is another way you can ensure your clients are getting the best service around.

Course highlights include:

• An overview of the green home movement
• Green terminology, certifications, and ratings
• A review of energy-efficient upgrades, including solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar water heaters, and more
• Tips for assisting green homebuyers and sellers
• A review of the FHA's Energy Efficient Mortgage and the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage programs
• Qualifications for the DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program
• Interactive activities and scenarios to seal in the new information and frame it in everyday context