Your state association has been working with state leaders, state agencies, and other organizations on your behalf throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-standing relationships with officials enable Texas REALTORS® to protect real estate consumers and professionals, ensuring that you can continue to help your clients achieve their real estate goals.

Real Estate as Essential

In March, the association asked Gov. Greg Abbott to consider real estate an essential service to minimize interruptions that could suspend real estate activities and derail transactions. Texas REALTORS® also urged city and county leaders to include language in their local orders that would ensure real estate transactions could continue. REALTORS® in many Texas communities worked with local leaders to include real estate in their local orders, enabling REALTORS® to continue helping real estate consumers. 

On March 31, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order that designated real estate services as essential statewide. This allowed REALTORS® across the state to continue serving clients while demonstrating care for the health and well-being of the greater public welfare.

Abbott in April unveiled a plan to get Texans back to work that included recommendations from Texas REALTORS®, such as resuming local government operations, including county and municipal governmental functions relating to permitting, recordation, and document-filing services. Gov. Abbott also temporarily expanded notary services to allow real estate consumers to appear before a notary via videoconference when executing real estate documents.

In late April, the Texas Real Estate Commission started to reopen testing centers around the state.  And on April 28, TREC announced the extension of its waiver of all renewal and application deadlines through June 30, 2020, based on Gov. Abbott’s approval. All were recommendations from Texas REALTORS®.

Working in D.C.

REALTORS® have also been advocating at the federal level on issues including business sustainability, federal financial support, and housing security. Thanks to REALTOR® advocacy, independent contractors were included in the CARES Act as eligible for unemployment insurance for the first time ever. Learn more about federal advocacy efforts at nar.realtor/coronavirus.

At the state level, Texas REALTORS® has been in communication with the Texas Workforce Commission to gather the most helpful information to provide to REALTORS® filing for unemployment benefits.

And Much More

The association has also been answering frequently asked questions about a variety of topics, creating guidelines, and producing forms and addenda that address concerns related to COVID-19. Find these resources and more at eduftp.net/coronavirus.