New Real Estate Contract Changes Are Coming: What San Antonio Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Now

If you are buying or selling a home in San Antonio — whether in Helotes, Converse, Stone Oak, Alamo Ranch, or anywhere in between — changes to the contracts you sign may be closer than you think. On January 8 and 9, 2026, the Texas Real Estate Commission's Broker-Lawyer Committee voted to propose revisions to two standard contracts used in nearly every residential transaction in the state, along with a brand-new form. Here is what is happening and why it matters to you.

The Broker-Lawyer Committee is a group of attorneys and real estate professionals that advises TREC on the forms that licensed agents are required to use. Their proposals are not yet final — they will move through a review and public comment process before any changes take effect — but what they voted on earlier this month signals where Texas real estate contracts are headed.

The two contracts under review are the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), which is the standard agreement used in the vast majority of home purchases across San Antonio, from older homes in Southtown and Mahncke Park to new construction resales in Cibolo and New Braunfels. The Addendum for Back-Up Contract, which buyers use when they want to get in line behind an existing offer on a home, is also being revised.

So what is actually changing? Three areas are getting attention.

First, the committee is reorganizing Paragraph 12 of the main contract, which deals with fees and costs. A new section, Paragraph 12B, would specifically address brokerage compensation. This matters because the way buyer's agent compensation is disclosed and handled in contracts has been under a national spotlight following changes in the real estate industry over the past couple of years. Separating brokerage compensation into its own clearly labeled paragraph makes it more visible and harder to overlook during negotiations. For buyers in competitive San Antonio markets like the 78230 or 78249 ZIP codes near USAA and the Medical Center, understanding who is paying your agent and how much has never been more important.

Second, Paragraph 21, which governs how notices between buyers and sellers are delivered, is being clarified. Notice delivery sounds like a technical detail, but it is actually one of the most common sources of confusion and dispute in real estate transactions. If a seller in Schertz or a buyer in Boerne sends a notice on the wrong day or through the wrong method, deadlines can be missed and deals can fall apart. Clearer language here protects everyone at the table.

Third, the committee is proposing to consolidate the list of addenda in Paragraph 22, organizing them into categories so the form is easier to read and complete correctly. If you have ever looked at a Texas real estate contract, you know that Paragraph 22 can get long fast. Agents and their clients check boxes to indicate which addenda apply to the deal — things like financing contingencies, property condition disclosures, and HOA documents. Organizing those into logical groups reduces the chance that something important gets missed, which is good news for buyers in master-planned communities throughout San Antonio's suburbs, where HOA addenda are almost always part of the picture.

The committee also approved a brand-new form: the Seller's Notice to Buyer of Removal of Contingency. This form would give sellers a standardized way to notify buyers when a contingency — most commonly a back-up contract contingency — has been removed. Right now, that communication can happen in less structured ways, which can create confusion about timing and obligations. A dedicated form brings clarity to a moment in the transaction that can move very quickly.

For renters, these particular changes do not directly affect residential lease agreements, but they are a reminder that TREC periodically updates its forms in response to real-world feedback from agents, attorneys, and consumers. Renters who plan to buy in the next year or two in areas like Live Oak, Universal City, or the Northside ISD and Northside area should start getting familiar with how Texas purchase contracts work — because when you are ready to make an offer, you will be signing one.

For current homeowners thinking about selling, the takeaway is straightforward: make sure you are working with a licensed real estate agent who stays current with TREC updates. The contracts your agent uses are not optional templates — they are the required forms, and getting the details right protects your money and your timeline.

These proposals are not yet in effect. TREC's process includes opportunities for public comment before any revised forms are adopted. Your real estate agent will be tracking this closely and will be ready to walk you through any new language when the time comes.

If you have questions about how the current contracts work or what any of this means for a transaction you are considering right now in San Antonio, reach out to us. Knowing what you are signing is one of the most important parts of any real estate deal.