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Contract to Close

The process of Contract to Close can vary from smooth sailing to turbulent, depending entirely on the dynamics between the buyer and seller. It hinges on their ability to negotiate, their reasonableness, preparedness, knowledge, and the coordination between the loan officer and their counterparts, as well as the oversight provided…

Assistance and Emotional Support Animals

If you are a landlord or just considering leasing your home, you should become familiar with assistance and emotional support animals.  When you think of assistance or emotional support animals, we often think of dogs.  But squirrels, peacocks, pigs and even an alligator has made national headlines for being assistance…

Fair Housing Word or Phrase List

Did you know there are some words or phrases you should not say when speaking to a client or when marketing a home for sale? The Fair Housing Act prohibits certain categories of discrimination in housing.  The law is a federal one is prohibits publishing advertisements indicating “any preference, limitation…

Window Requirements

In order for a window to be considered a window, it must be one that can used if a need arises. The requirements are a window must have large enough to be an emergency escape or rescue opening. In Texas, we do not have many basements but we have a…

Bedroom Requirements

How do you know if a bedroom is considered a bedroom or not?  Good question, right?  The answer is quite simple because the requirements are clearly defined.  Pay attention to the following key areas to determine if a room can be considered a bedroom. ENTRANCE A bedroom needs at least…

TREC License Renewal Requirements

Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) updated their salesperson and broker licensing requirements in order to renew and maintain your Texas Real Estate License.  Long gone are the days a seasoned salesperson or broker could renew their license with 15 hours.  The new TREC requires licensees to earn 18 CE hours in…

How to Overcome Objections

Objections can literally come out of nowhere, even if you feel like you’ve educated or discussed issues with your client. It is often as a result of uneasiness of moving along to the next step. That’s where it is your job to offer insight, intel and education to make them…

TREC Continuing Education Deferral Fees

Effective January 1, 2015, TREC implemented new Continuing Education renewal fees. Because we know most REALTORS® wait until the last minute to renew their real estate license, we wanted to help you avoid any unnecessary last minute chaos when it came to reviewing your license with the Texas Real Estate Commission. Continuing Education (or CE) Providers now have 10…

Reverse Offers

You’ve just taken a new listing. The photos have been taken, the virtual tour is complete and they both look fantastic. The listing has been entered into MLS and syndicated to every real estate website known to mankind and even has been uploaded to your website and your social media…