TX RE Broker · Cheat Sheet
| Class | Added | Notes |
| Race | 1968 | Original Civil Rights Act of 1866; no exemptions |
| Color | 1968 | Complexion, shade of skin |
| National Origin | 1968 | Country of birth, ancestry, ethnicity |
| Religion | 1968 | Includes lack of religion |
| Sex | 1974 | Includes gender; HUD guidance extends to gender identity/sexual orientation |
| Familial Status | 1988 | Families with children under 18; pregnant women; placement for adoption |
| Disability (Handicap) | 1988 | Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity |
| Protection | Authority | |
| No additional classes under state TRELA | TRELA mirrors federal classes | |
| City of Austin | Adds source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity, student status | |
| City of Dallas | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income | |
| City of Houston | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity | |
| San Antonio | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity | |
| Requirement | Applies To | |
| "Places of public accommodation" | Retail, offices, restaurants, hotels, theaters open to public | |
| New construction (after Jan 26, 1993) | Must be fully accessible | |
| Alterations | Must make altered portions accessible "to the maximum extent feasible" | |
| Existing buildings | Must remove barriers when "readily achievable" (no undue burden) | |
| Residential housing | Covered by Fair Housing Act (not ADA Title III) | |
| Article | Core Principle | |
| Art. 1 | Protect and promote client's interests; treat all parties honestly | |
| Art. 2 | No misrepresentation, concealment, or withholding of facts | |
| Art. 3 | Cooperate with other brokers except when cooperation is not in client's best interest | |
| Art. 9 | All agreements in writing; keep copies | |
| Art. 10 | No discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity | |
| Art. 11 | Competent only in areas of competence; disclose limitations | |
| Art. 12 | Honest and truthful in communications; no false or misleading advertising | |
| Art. 16 | No soliciting clients of other REALTORS® without consent | |
| Art. 17 | Mediation/arbitration of disputes with other REALTORS® | |
| Practice | Definition | Example |
| Steering | Directing buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class | Showing Black buyers only homes in predominantly Black neighborhoods |
|---|---|---|
| Blockbusting | Inducing owners to sell by suggesting protected-class groups are moving in, causing property values to decline | "You should sell now before the neighborhood changes" |
| Redlining | Refusing to provide loans, insurance, or services in certain geographic areas based on race/national origin | Bank refusing mortgages in certain ZIP codes |
| Discrimination | Refusing to rent, sell, or negotiate based on a protected class | Telling a Hispanic family the unit is "already rented" when it isn't |
| Exemption | Conditions | Agent Exception |
| Mrs. Murphy Exemption | Owner-occupied building with ≤ 4 units; owner lives in one unit | Exemption is LOST if a real estate agent or broker is used |
| Single-family homes | Owner selling/renting without a broker; no discriminatory advertising; no more than 3 homes at a time | Broker involvement removes this exemption |
| Religious organizations | May restrict occupancy to members of the same religion for non-commercial housing | Cannot restrict on basis of race, color, or national origin |
| Private clubs | Non-commercial; lodging incidents to primary purpose | Cannot restrict on race, color, national origin |
| 55+ senior housing | 80% of units occupied by at least one person ≥ 55; policies/procedures to verify ages | Familial status exemption only — all other classes still protected |
| 62+ senior housing | All occupants must be 62 or older | Familial status exemption only |
| Rule | Details | |
| Reasonable accommodation | Must be provided unless undue hardship; examples: allowing service animals in no-pet buildings, reserved accessible parking | |
| Reasonable modification | Tenant may make physical modifications at their own expense; landlord may require restoration on move-out (unless federally assisted housing) | |
| Service animals | Not covered by ADA in residential; covered under Fair Housing Act — must be allowed even in no-pet buildings if disability-related | |
| Emotional support animals | Covered by Fair Housing (not ADA) — documentation may be requested |
Aligned to the Texas TREC broker exam content outline.
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