The Future of What it Takes to Be a Broker: BRAC Meeting Recap

Lowering broker education requirements, raising experience requirements? What about broker associates? These are some of the questions raised during the Texas Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee’s (BRAC) April 23 meeting.

The group started with a rule reminder: TREC Rule 535.2 now states that three is the minimum number of times a sales agent (who performs a type of real estate brokerage activity for the first time) must receive coaching from a competent real estate license holder. Discussion on this rule change was sparked by a public comment that asked the committee to consider establishing an apprentice program for new sales agents. The committee noted this rule change was recommended by the Broker Responsibility Working Group with an eye towards more active broker supervision.

Broker Associates, Lowering Barriers to Entry

BRAC’s next point of discussion was over the role and responsibilities of broker associates, and clarity on which brokerages they are affiliated with.

The committee also had a robust discussion regarding the appropriate balance of education and active experience required to obtain a broker license.

Previously, education requirements for a broker’s license were established by statute. However, during the last legislative session, TREC was given authority to determine these education hours (with a maximum of 60 semester hours or equivalent classroom hours—where the standard is currently set).

Read the statute here: Occupations Code Section 1101.356. BROKER LICENSE.

Provide Your Feedback

BRAC is interested in public comments about ideas it discussed during this meeting and whether it should pursue these initiatives:

• Potentially reduce the total education hours required to 630 from 900.
• Explore awarding credit only for real estate-related education college course hours, such as accounting, advertising, law, finance, management, and marketing. Currently, education hours are awarded to applicants with bachelor’s degrees, regardless of field of study, in addition to applicants who complete college courses in certain specific real estate-related areas.
• Brainstorming a process that would count experience toward education hours.

You can email your feedback on the above for its consideration and discussion at the next BRAC meeting on July 18.

Where to Find Meeting Materials

Download the meeting materials and watch a recording of the BRAC meeting.