Real estate agents in Dallas

The written buyer agreement became mandatory under Occupations Code §1101.563. If you only want to see one house, a broker may show it without representing you under a non-exclusive showing agreement of no more than 14 days. Commissions are set by agreement with each professional, and TREC doesn't regulate them. TREC also can't force a broker to release you from a buyer representation agreement, since that's a private contract matter, so read the term and the exit terms before signing.

At the first substantive conversation about a specific property, the agent must give you TREC's Information About Brokerage Services notice. The current form is IABS 1-2, effective January 1, 2026, and agents must link to it on their website homepage. Agents must also provide the Consumer Protection Notice, currently CN 1-5.

Texas agents must use TREC's promulgated forms. The One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19, took effect July 1, 2026. Under it, the buyer delivers earnest money and the option fee to the escrow agent within 3 days after the effective date. The option fee buys an unrestricted right to terminate within the negotiated period; if you terminate in time you lose the option fee but get the earnest money back.

Sellers of a single-dwelling home must give a written Seller's Disclosure Notice on or before the contract's effective date; if they don't, the buyer may terminate within seven days of receiving it. A termite report is a common add-on; see Dallas pest control for what that inspection covers.

Dallas home prices and sales data

Statewide, the Texas Real Estate Research Center put the median sales price at $339,000 in July 2026, unchanged from a year earlier. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so sale prices aren't reported to DCAD; ask your agent where their Dallas comparable sales come from.

Texas has no state property tax; the Dallas Central Appraisal District values property as of January 1 each year and local governments set rates. The 2026 protest deadline for residential real property was May 15, 2026, and the Dallas County Appraisal Review Board received more than 250,000 protests for 2026, with hearings likely running through September. DCAD prefers protests through its online uFile system.

After you buy, file a homestead exemption with DCAD, which is free, generally before May 1. School districts must give a $140,000 homestead exemption, plus $60,000 more for homeowners 65 or older or disabled, under Tax Code amendments effective November 4, 2025; confirm the current amounts with DCAD. Bills are generally due by January 31 of the following year. Texas also has no state income tax and bars new transfer taxes on home sales. Confirm tax and contract questions with a licensed Texas broker or tax adviser.

Anyone acting as a broker or sales agent needs a TREC license. Run a Dallas agent's name through TREC's License Holder Lookup to see license status, any discipline, education and the sponsoring broker, who answers for the agent's work. A sales agent needs 180 classroom hours and an exam; a broker needs four years of active experience within the prior 60 months. Complaints go in writing through TREC's REALM Portal within four years. The Texas real estate guide covers more, the Preston Hollow realtors page focuses on North Dallas, and the Dallas guide lists other services.