TREC Contract Updates You Need to Know

Tina Alameda • July 20, 2026

As of July 1, 2026, TREC and Texas REALTORS® rolled out updated contract forms that touch nearly every transaction you'll close this year. Here's what changed and what you need to do about it.

What's Changing — The Full List

Updated Contracts (All Mandatory):

  • One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) — No. 20-19
  • New Home Contract (Completed Construction) — No. 24-20
  • New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction) — No. 23-20
  • Farm and Ranch Contract — No. 25-17
  • Residential Condominium Contract (Resale) — No. 30-18
  • Unimproved Property Contract — No. 9-18

Addenda & Amendments (All Mandatory):

  • Amendment to Contract — No. 39-11
  • Addendum for "Back-Up" Contract — No. 11-9
  • Addendum for Property Subject to Mandatory HOA Membership — No. 36-11

★ Brand New Form (Mandatory): Seller's Disclosure about Groundwater and Surface Water Rights — No. 61-0

★ Brand New Form (Voluntary): Seller's Notice to Buyer of Removal of Contingency Under Back-Up Contract — No. 62-0 (replaces TXR 1913)

The Highlights — What You'll Actually Notice


The Biggest One: A Brand New Water Disclosure Form TREC 61-0 is a completely new mandatory form covering groundwater and surface water rights. It was created following a Sunset Advisory Commission directive, and it must be included in most residential transactions — the only exception is condo resales. Sellers will need to disclose this information, and it needs to be reflected in the contract under Paragraph 22. This is the one to add to your transaction checklist right now if you haven't already.

Seller's Disclosure Gets an Upgrade TREC 55-1 now asks sellers to disclose more. Specifically, Paragraph 9 has been expanded to include:

  • Insurance information covering the property
  • Private roads on or adjoining the property that the buyer would be responsible for maintaining
  • Existence of aboveground storage tanks
  • Whether the property is located in a conservation easement

This form is updated but not newly mandatory — it's available now for voluntary use.

Paragraph 12 — Compensation Gets Restructured This one affects every contract on the list. Paragraph 12 has been reorganized to separate expenses from brokerage compensation:

  • 12A = Expenses (does NOT include brokerage fees)
  • 12B = Brokerage Compensation — and here's the new piece: buyers now have the option to contribute to the seller's broker's compensation
  • 12C = Lender expense limitations

This is a meaningful shift in how compensation is documented and explained to clients. Worth having a conversation with your buyers and sellers about what this means for their transaction.

"Legal Holiday" Is Now a Defined Term Paragraph 5A(2) now formally defines Legal Holiday, which directly affects how earnest money and option period deadlines are calculated. The list includes 11 holidays — notably Juneteenth (June 19) and the Friday after Thanksgiving are both included. If you've been manually tracking which days count, now the contract spells it out for you.

Generators Are Now Listed as Improvements With how common whole-home generators have become in Texas, TREC has added them to the improvements list in Paragraph 2B. This applies to resale contracts — not new home or unimproved property contracts.

Notices & Delivery — Paragraph 21 Updated Notices can now be delivered by overnight courier (added alongside mail, hand delivery, and electronic). Notices are effective when delivered to the party OR their agent. A second phone number line has also been added for each party.

Paragraph 22 — Cleaner Addenda Organization The addenda section has been reorganized into clear categories: Financial, Leases, Additional Tests and Reports, Statutory Disclosures and Notices, and Other. Many of the scattered references to addenda throughout the contract have been consolidated here. Cleaner for everyone.

Back-Up Contract — Effective Date Clarified The amended effective date in the Back-Up Contract (TREC 11-9) now triggers on the date the seller DELIVERS the termination notice to the buyer — not the date the buyer receives it. A small but important distinction, especially when timing is tight.

Compliance Corner

Your reminder to keep your transactions audit-ready:

  • Update your forms library now. New form numbers are in effect — check your broker's system (Transact Lonewolf, SkySlope, Dotloop, or ZipForms) to make sure updated versions are available.
  • Add TREC 61-0 to your standard transaction checklist. It's mandatory and brand new — it won't be in old checklists automatically.
  • Review open files. Any contract executed before July 1 is fine on its current forms. New contracts on or after July 1 must use the updated versions.
  • IABS reminder: Always provide the current IABS form at first substantive contact, with a signed acknowledgment on file. SB 1968 requirements remain in effect.
  • Never alter pre-printed contract language. Custom terms belong in Special Provisions or the appropriate addendum.
  • Calendar every deadline the moment a contract is executed. Earnest money, option period, and financing deadlines are strictly enforced — and now the Legal Holiday definition in Paragraph 5A(2) gives you more clarity on what counts.

Questions About Your Transaction Files?

Staying current on TREC forms is part of what we do every day at SymplTC — so you don't have to track it down yourself. If you have questions about how these updates affect a specific transaction, reach out anytime.