Document Diligence: Safeguarding Your Transactions
A veteran broker once said, "No one ever failed in this business because of the paperwork." It's true: Real estate is a relationship-based business. However, to protect consumers and yourself, knowing how to manage the paperwork--whether it's cotton bond and ink or bits and bytes--is integral to your role. Maintaining detailed and organized records, even for transactions that don't close, not only satisfies regulatory requirements, it also protects your license. It proves you did what you were supposed to do when you were supposed to do it.
We can't do anything about paper cuts, but if you're ready to become more comfortable selecting and using documents to ensure on-time, accurate, and litigation-free real estate transactions, let's do this.
Course highlights include:
- Typical transaction documents
- Standard clauses, addenda, and contingencies
- How to practice within the scope of your license (but avoid unauthorized practice of law)
- How to field and manage multiple offers
- Managing signatures, notarizations, and identification
- Best practices in transaction management
- Best practices in document retention
- Keeping documents secure, both hard copy and digital
- Wire fraud prevention
State Requirements For Texas
Texas State Requirement Details for Real Estate Continuing Education
Renewal Date: Every two years by the end of the month in which the license was initially issued
Hours Required: 18 hours
- 4 hours – Legal Update I: Laws, Rules and Forms
- 4 hours – Legal Update II: Agency, Ethics, and Hot Topics
- 3 hours - Contracts-related course
- 7 hours – Electives
Note: If you are a supervising agent, have sponsored one or more sales agents, served as the designated broker for a business entity broker that sponsors sales agents, or have been made a supervisor of other license holders, you will need to complete the 6-hour broker responsibility course as part of your required 18 hours of CE.
TEXAS REAL ESTATE REGULATORY AGENCY:
Texas Real Estate Commission
Street Address: Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 N. Congress Ave., Suite 400, Austin, TX 78701
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 12188 Austin, TX 78711-2188
Telephone: 512-936-3000
Texas Real Estate Commission Website
Salesperson License Renewal Website