Real estate agents in Galveston

Anyone acting as a broker or sales agent in Texas needs a TREC license, and a sales agent works under a sponsoring broker who answers for their work. Before you sign anything, put the agent's name into TREC's lookup: it confirms an active license, lists any discipline and names the broker behind a sales agent.

At the first real conversation about a property, the agent must give you TREC's Information About Brokerage Services notice; the current form, IABS 1-2, took effect January 1, 2026. A buyer's agent also needs your signature on a written agreement before the first island showing, one that states the broker's pay and says compensation is fully negotiable. TREC doesn't set commissions.

Galveston County is a TDI catastrophe area, so additions and repairs, including re-roofs, must be inspected for a WPI-8. Search a property's existing certificates on TDI's windstorm site or call 800-248-6032, option 3. A house that failed can still be certified once the deficiencies are fixed, or may qualify through TWIA's waiver program.

TDI says lenders typically require wind coverage, and a flood policy doesn't pay for wind or hail. Properties in federal Coastal Barrier Resource Areas qualify for TWIA only if a building permit or plat was filed before June 11, 2003. On the flood side, the city's current FEMA maps took effect in 2019.

Galveston rentals and beachfront lots

If you plan to rent the house short term, Galveston requires a $250 annual registration and a GVR number in every listing, and some neighborhoods restrict rentals. Work within 1,000 feet of the Gulf mean high tide line, outside properties landward of the seawall, needs a beachfront certificate with General Land Office review, so ask before you plan changes. Ask your agent whether to order a termite report from a Galveston pest control company before the option period ends.

The Galveston Central Appraisal District values property as of January 1. Homestead exemptions are applied for there, generally before May 1, and under Tax Code amendments effective November 4, 2025, Texas school districts give a $140,000 residence homestead exemption, plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled. Confirm what applies to your home with GCAD. Protests go to the appraisal review board by May 15 or 30 days after the notice, whichever is later, and GCAD takes them online.

In the TREC resale contract, the option fee buys an unrestricted right to terminate within the days you negotiate, and goes to the escrow agent within 3 days of the effective date. Texas's statewide median price was $339,000 in July 2026, per the Texas Real Estate Research Center; ask your agent for recent comparable sales on the island. This explains how things work; confirm contract and tax questions with a licensed Texas real estate broker or tax adviser.

More on licensing and forms is in the Texas real estate guide. The Galveston hub covers island permits, and you can compare League City real estate agents on the mainland.