2026 July Notes

Texas Updates

• Our total membership count is: 152,583.
• Leaders of the Texas Association of REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund, Inc. (TARDRF), which operates as a single foundation, met to consider donations to local groups in response to recent floods.
• Work continues towards evolving the Texas REALTORS^® Governance Structure. Two information sessions are being held during the week of July 20 to present proposals to association leaders.   
• The building remodel is on schedule and demo is now complete.
• The Budget & Finance Committee approved a balanced budget for 2027, which will go before our Executive Board in August.
• Remember to register for the Texas REALTORS® 2026 Shaping Texas Conference. The housing deadline is July 27. You can help promote the conference by using our promotional materials.
• Mark your calendars for our 2028 Winter Meeting, which will be held Monday, February 7 through Friday, February 10 at the Hyatt Regency Austin.
• Julia Parenteau, Director of Public Policy, was featured in an article by Houston Chronicle relating to Homeowner’s Associations.
• New data center resources were developed after months of research, stakeholder meetings, and expert testimony. Included is a guide designed to help members better understand factors involved as they engage in local discussions and decision-making. A presentation about data centers and all the policy committees’ drafted positions for the 2027 legislative session will be held during our Shaping Texas Conference on Thursday, August 27 from 12:45-1:45 Central at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio.
• TREPAC has raised $4.16M with a participation rate of 39%. A Dia de TREPAC event is being planned August 28. And, remember: September 30 is the last day to make TREPAC investments, submit nominations for the Spirit and Heart awards, and contribute towards President’s Circle.
• Your voice keeps us united and effective at the Capitol for the benefit of all Texans. Our policy committees have invested hundreds of hours to identify areas of focus during the Texas Legislature in 2027, and we want to hear from you! Be on the lookout for a unique survey link from texasrealtors@qemailserver.com. Complete the survey for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
• The Texas House of Representatives Land and Resource Management Committee met to discuss Housing Affordability and MUD’s, where members Dixon Holman and Chad Hovde testified on Monday, July 20.
• Texas REALTORS® joined thousands of REALTORS® from across the country in Washington, D.C. in June to meet directly with lawmakers about issues that shape real estate. Members advocated for housing supply, affordability, financing access, insurance availability, property rights, and independent contractor status–– issues that directly affect inventory, transactions, costs, client options, and the way members conduct business.
• NAR released a downloadable global resource for region 10 (Texas and Louisiana), which includes Texas business climate rankings and local market opportunities.
• A video about Seller’s Water Disclosure was shared to explain if and when a seller is required to provide the Seller’s Water Disclosure to the buyer. FAQs on Groundwater are also available.
• A new video on the Texas REALTORS® and TREC contract forms that became mandatory on July 1 was posted earlier this month. Updates affect broker compensation language, notice delivery provisions, seller disclosures, and other transaction details. Every Texas REALTOR^® should be using the current forms.
• Texas law now requires a written agreement with a residential buyer before performing brokerage services such as showing property. This is now state law—not just an industry practice following the NAR settlement.
• In a video on Changes to Broker Compensation in Residential Sales Transactions that was posted last month, one of our Texas REALTORS® legal hotline attorneys walks members through recent changes.
• Heads up: the term legal holiday is now defined as the following holidays described in the Texas Government Code. Read our FAQ on how this affects contract deadlines.
•  A webinar hosted by Texas REALTORS® MLS and Technology Committee titled The Biggest Appraisal Changes in Years: What Every Texas REALTOR® Needs to Know will be held at 1 p.m. Central July 27.
• Leaders received a sneak peek of the Q2 Texas Quarterly Housing Report before the report was released to the media on July 21. The news release reported a slight increase in overall sales activity and an unchanged median sales price of $340,000.
• New consumer ads began airing in July. The ads explain the REALTOR® difference and how REALTORS® advocate on behalf of their communities.
• In a recent issue of Broker Advantage, we shared ideas on how leaders might respond to member questions about what they get for their dues.
• We shared broker slide decks that can be used to share July updates with agents and disclosure best practices. 
• We’ve recorded 2,262 classes YTD with 31,011 students, with 350 classes serving 4,675 students in the last 30 days.
• Texas REALTORS® YPN is hosting several events:
  • September 9 webinar at 9:30 a.m. Central, If Real Estate is Your Profession, Politics is Your Business
  • October 19 from 1-6 p.m. Central, Texas Leadership Launchpad, at Five Points Board in Round Rock, Texas. The workshop will offer practical insights on how members can take the next step in their volunteer leadership journey.

National Updates

• After nearly two years of bipartisan work and a shared commitment to addressing one of America’s most pressing challenges, the 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act was enacted into law.
• NAR NXT is open for registration. The conference will be held in New Orleans on November 6-8, 2026. Speakers will include Grammy Award winner Reba McEntire, author and Serhant CEO Ryan Serhant, and Cotality’s John Rogers.
• NAR’s existing-home sales report showed a 2.4% decrease in June as housing wealth remains at an all time high. On July 16, NAR’s housing data showed that pending home sales fell in June, as ongoing market challenges continue to hold many buyers back.
• Be sure to check out RPR’s Market Trends indicator graph for your area. At narrpr.com, click on Research, then Residential Market Trends, where you can type in your city, neighborhood or ZIP code.
• There’s a matched-dollar opportunity for REALTOR® disaster relief giving through July 31. To ensure your contribution qualifies for the match, text SCV4RRF to 71777.
• NAR has achieved a series of favorable legal outcomes, including dismissals in multiple antitrust and MLS-related cases. These decisions reinforce our position that NAR’s policies foster competitive, fair, and transparent real estate markets while demonstrating the value of a more proactive and strategic legal approach.
• Last month, the NAR Board of Directors approved several policy recommendations, including: NAR dues will remain at $156 per member for 2027 and an amendment to Standard of Practice 16-11 to require REALTORS to make any request for compensation from a seller of unlisted property no later than when an offer is being presented rather than at first contact.
• NAR has developed an office exclusive listing/pre-marketing guidance resource for brokers and their agents. This is designed to support the use of MLSs as pro-competitive, pro-consumer platforms by helping to ensure consistent compliance with MLS policies.
• The 2026 Member Profile was released. The report provides a snapshot of NAR members’ business activity, income, firm affiliation, technology use, and demographics. NAR also published an article titled Even in a Tougher Market, REALTORS® are Holding Their Ground.
• NAR’s director of member and consumer survey research, Brandi Snowden, offered highlights from annual member profile, sharing that two-thirds of NAR members today are women and the typical member has about 13 years of experience in real estate.
• A new NAR survey shows that Americans value walkability, mixed-use neighborhoods, and broad housing choices. Nearly two thirds of those surveyed said they would be willing to pay more to live in a community where they could easily walk to parks, shops, and restaurants.
• A special edition of the Advocacy Scoop podcast, How 250 Years of Housing Policy Build the American Dream, was recorded live at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings. In this episode, you’ll hear about the impact of landmark policies affecting housing and real estate.
• In the July 8 Change Agents podcast, Shelley Specchio of MIBOR REALTOR® Association and Broker Listing Cooperative, discusses the Future of MLS and how MLSs are adapting to give agents more marketplace flexibility while keeping consumers at the center of every transaction.
• The July 16 Change Agents podcast brings NAR’s leaders together to discuss legal challenges and shifts in housing and tech.
• NAR shared the latest consumer guide, “10 Tips for Unpacking Smartly After a Move.” Consumer guides are available in English and Spanish at facts.realtor.