We get it—politics and government might not be your favorite topics. You probably don’t have January 14, 2025, marked on your calendar as the start of the 89th Texas Legislature. But as a busy real estate professional, staying informed about what Texas REALTORS® is doing at the Texas Capitol can make a big difference for you and your clients.

While the legislature discusses a multitude of topics, Texas REALTORS® focuses solely on real estate issues because the association’s mission is to protect and promote the industry and private property rights. This focused, nonpartisan approach is why advocacy work matters, even if politics isn’t your thing. Here are a few reasons advocacy matters for you.

It Directly Affects Your Business

Every law about property taxes, homeowners associations, or real estate regulations directly impacts your business. As important as the laws that pass are the harmful proposals the association helps defeat. Texas REALTORS® advocates to keep the market strong and streamline the process, helping you close more deals with fewer headaches. Staying informed means understanding how these changes affect your bottom line and knowing where to find relevant info when needed.

You Can Serve Clients Better

Your clients depend on your expertise. Knowing about property tax exemptions, eminent-domain laws, or changes in property owners’ rights makes you a trusted resource. Offering insights into how legislation affects your prospects and clients builds trust and adds value. Texas REALTORS® provides updates during the session on the progress of relevant bills so you can stay informed without digging into legislative details yourself.

It’s Simple

Staying in the loop doesn’t mean hours of research or attending long meetings. Texas REALTORS® offers quick, easy-to-digest updates via emails, social media posts, and short videos. You can subscribe to the Texas REALTORS® Advocacy RECAP email newsletter for the latest information about real estate matters at the Capitol; just email recap@texasrealtors.com and request to subscribe.

Your Community and Your Business Benefit

When REALTORS® advocate, that helps build better communities, create a more business-friendly environment, and stand up for property-owner rights. So, even if advocacy isn’t your passion, it’s the work behind the scenes that helps to keep your career thriving.

Real Wins Make a Real Impact

Texas REALTORS® has a history of wins that benefit you and your clients, from blocking harmful legislation to promoting policies that help property owners. These victories show how advocacy shapes your working environment. Just as relationships are the bread and butter of your real estate business, relationship-building with lawmakers leads to these successes, ensuring REALTOR® interests are top of mind when policies are proposed.

It’s Part of Being a Pro

Staying informed sets you apart as a knowledgeable professional. You’re not just helping clients—you’re protecting your business and contributing to a stronger Texas real estate market.

Advocacy might sound like a political buzzword, but for Texas REALTORS®, it’s about protecting your business, your clients, and the real estate industry. Just knowing the basics of what’s going on shows your clients that you are serious about your profession. By staying informed and involved, you are helping secure the future of real estate in Texas.

And the best part? It’s easy to do; no political deep dive required. The Texas REALTORS® staff and your local association leadership and staff are happy to help.

TEXAS REALTORS® ADVOCACY INSIGHTS: A GOOD PLACE TO START

A Look Back: Successes from the 88th Legislative Session (2023)

In 2023, Texas REALTORS® played a crucial role in passing key legislation that positively affected real estate, community development, and private property rights. Major victories included:

• Historic property tax relief : Secured a $100,000 homestead exemption and major tax reforms.
• Protecting landlord-tenant relations : Ended HOA interference in rent payments.
• Infrastructure investments : Secured major funding for water, energy, transportation, and broadband projects.
• Streamlining housing development : Reduced permitting and inspection delays.

More importantly, Texas REALTORS® successfully blocked harmful proposals such as:

• Discriminatory property purchase restrictions : Prevented a ban on property purchases based on national origin, which would have increased REALTOR® liability and limited seller options.
• Predatory real estate practices : Defeated attempts to allow multi-decade listing contracts and equity-stripping schemes.

Texas REALTORS® Was Busy During the Interim: 2024

Though the Legislature only meets in odd-numbered years, Texas REALTORS® remains active during the interim. In 2024, association staff and members have been meeting with elected officials to ensure that upcoming legislation continues to protect private property rights, real estate transactions, and community infrastructure.

The Texas Legislature also holds committee hearings on key issues during the interim, where experts and stakeholders provide input. As of September 2024, Texas REALTORS® leadership has testified at seven hearings, addressing topics like:

• Impact of squatters
• Foreign buyers of real property
• Texas Windstorm Insurance
• Housing affordability and institutional investors
• Water infrastructure.

Additionally, Texas REALTORS® has monitored hearings on other critical topics, including broadband, energy infrastructure, farmland conservation, property insurance, veterans’ housing, and property taxes. View video recordings of committee hearings at capitol.texas.gov/mnucommittees.aspx.

2024 Policy Development Process

From January to June 2024, members who serve on the Texas REALTORS® policy committees met nearly 30 times, contributing 1,850 volunteer hours. They researched, debated, and approved 32 legislative policy positions, covering issues like property taxes, infrastructure, land use, title insurance, and HOA authority. Notable new positions focused on:

• Squatter-related issues and real estate fraud
• Rising property insurance rates
• Fair housing protections

In August, all members were invited to give feedback on these policy positions, all of which received strong support from 1,400-plus respondents. All proposed policies received support from a majority of members who took the survey, with five policies topping 95% approval.

The new squatter policy received the highest support at 99%. These positions will be voted on for approval during the December meeting of the Texas REALTORS® Executive Board.

Looking Ahead: The 89th Legislative Session (2025)

The upcoming session will present opportunities as lawmakers look for ways to spend a budget surplus in ways that benefit Texans. Many of the positions for 2025 are longstanding ones for the association, such as property taxes, infrastructure, and land-use matters. A few new positions were also added. While not a complete list, priorities include:

• Property tax
• Property insurance reforms
• Housing affordability
• Squatter laws
• Real estate fraud prevention
• Improved access to PID and MUD information for homeowners
• Balancing property rights with HOA powers
• Further infrastructure investments
• Defeating discriminatory legislation on purchasing property.

Once approved, policy positions will be available online and communicated to members.